All I Wanted
by Blue-Winter-Angel
Summary: With graduation fast approaching, Jamie searches to find her path and her passion. As her relationship with Warren matures and changes, will she find the courage to spread her wings, or will fear of the unknown hold her back? M for language & lemons.
1. Play The Music Low

**Hey lovelies! Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you! How are you? You look beautiful :)  
**

**I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this out to you. If you've swung by my profile at all in the last few months, you would have seen the progress reports I've been posting. I was about half way done with this when a rather nasty stomach virus took me out of action for all of December. Before that, it was computer trouble, and since then I've started work which has been a complete time-suck. But, I eventually got it finished and here we are! I hope this is well worth the wait. **

**As far as plot goes, this isn't a big action packed fic like the prequels. I realized that there were a lot of things I never really focused on with Jamie and her relationship with Warren, so that's what this story will highlight, as well as some other adult issues. I like to think of this as a bit of a coming-of-age story. It's very different to the other stories I've written for Jamie, but just as much - if not more - time, thought and effort has gone into this. I'm very happy with the end result, so fingers crossed you will be, too.**

**I promise I'm going to shut up and let you read. But before I do, I have to say a huge thank you to Anna (aka: Ski October) who held my hand through the entire writing process, pre-read absolutely everything I wrote and was there to calm me down when I freaked out because I was taking so long. Not to mention keeping tissues on standby whenever I got a little emotional. Thank you, sweetheart. I couldn't have done this without you.**

**Also, a quick shout out to Libby and my lovely Miserlou, who have been waiting so patiently for this story. I've teased them, rather cruelly, with little snippets from certain chapters. I think they're about ready to start throwing things at me. And Liz? Thanks for being your lovely, supportive self :)**

**I have a lot more to say, but I'll save it for down the bottom. For now, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All canon characters are the property of Walt Disney. Jamie, and anyone else who is not familiar to the franchise, belongs to me.**

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_**Chapter One  
Play The Music Low**_

_Ba ba dum ba ba ba dum._

"Oh, check out the lecture hall! It's huge!"

**'That's what she said.'**

_Shut up. Ba ba ba da... dum? No wait. That's not right, is it?_

**'In all honesty I can't remember what it is that you're playing.'**

_You're no help._

"That course looks like fun. What do you think, Jamie?"

I looked up, my fingers stilling over the strings of my guitar. I'd been trying to learn a new song all morning but due to the distractions in the house I kept forgetting what it was that I was trying to play. "Huh?"

Layla smiled patiently. She was used to me zoning out. "There's a botany course in Seattle that looks good. Do you think I should apply?"

"If you want to, then why not?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders helplessly. "It's not too far away."

She nodded and glanced back down at her bright green Apple laptop. She and Magenta had shown up earlier this morning to look for colleges to apply at. I was supposed to be helping them look, but...

"Have you applied anywhere?"

I looked to Magenta who was watching me curiously. "Um, not yet," I told her, leaning my guitar against the couch cushions. "I haven't really thought about it."

"You mean you haven't talked to Warren about it," Layla said without looking up from the screen. It was not a question.

I frowned. "I didn't think it needed to be brought up so soon."

She laughed lightly. "Jamie, we graduate in a month. I think now is a good a time as any to talk about college."

Blowing a strand of hair away from my eyes I glanced back at Magenta who was smiling at me apologetically. "I'm still not sure about what I want to study."

She nodded in understanding before shifting her gaze back to the computer screen.

It wasn't a total lie. I still wasn't sure what I wanted to study, but I had thought about college. A lot. We were a month away from graduating and the thought that we would soon be thrust into the real world with nothing to fall back on was very scary. Layla had always known that she was going straight from high school to college, but me? I didn't know. Considering everything I had been through over the last few years, it was safe to say that until a few months ago, college had been the last thing on my mind.

And then there was Warren. If there was one thing I hated, it was being away from him for an extended period of time; but if I went away to college that would be exactly what happened. Try as I might, I couldn't ignore the pull in my heart to go out and explore the world. It was in my nature. I couldn't stay cooped up in one place forever. Don't get me wrong, I love Maxville, but there was so much else out there to be seen, and I was eager to see it. But it came, as it always did, back to Warren. I knew he'd be encouraging no matter what I wanted to do, but could I really handle being thousands of miles away from him?

_'He'll understand, Jamie,' _L soothed. I had gone over this in my mind time and time again. _'This is all a part of growing up.'_

_But it's not fair, _I argued weakly. _I love him_, I said, as if that would fix my dilemma. I really didn't see how it fit into the argument at all. No matter where I went, or how far away I was, I would always love him. With everything I had.

**'And he knows that,' **D chimed in. **'Just talk to him about it.'**

_'You don't have to do it right now,' _L added, no doubt sensing my rising anxiety. _'But soon. It has to happen eventually.'_

I pursed my lips and rose from the couch. It wasn't a touchy subject, per se, more an awkward one. This had to be one of the most natural things in the world, but how the hell did you bring it up in conversation with your boyfriend?

Magenta glanced up at me as I crossed the room to the hallway. "I'll be in the sanctum if you need me," I told her with a gentle smile.

She nodded and went back to her search with Layla as I left the room, pulling a hair tie from the pocket of my denim shorts and throwing my hair up into a ponytail. Mum and dad had recently converted a room in the sanctum into a gym for Will and me, since we had boundless energy and a near constant need to exert ourselves. It was either that or we could wrestle all the time and possibly break things around the house. The two of us usually went down there to let off steam or to clear our heads after a stressful day.

Or a conversation about college. Ugh.

Placing a hand on the scanner by the sanctum entrance, I let out a low breath and watched as the doors slid open. Our parents had also installed a new pole for Will and I to use, although my brother used it more than me, which is why there was only one. Today, like most days, I ignored it and simply stepped off the ledge, enjoying the rush of the fall before I landed on the floor of the sanctum in a crouch.

**'I love it when you do that.'**

I smiled and rose to my feet, raising my arms high above my head to stretch the muscles there. I enjoyed being in the sanctum with my family, but there was something freeing about being alone and doing what you wanted without judgment or supervision.

Making the most of my alone time, I grabbed Will's iPod from the bench in the gym room and hooked it up to the stereo in the corner. Music blared loudly from the surround sound speakers as I chose a playlist.

Ah, much better.

I changed my shirt for one of the various tank tops I kept here and moved to the punching bag that dangled from the roof. The beat of the music sank through my skin and into my bones as I rolled my neck and shoulders. If I had a steady rhythm to move to, I kept a more consistent string of kicks and punches.

My fists made a satisfying thump against the red surface as I bounced my weight from one foot to the other. _One-two, one-two, one-two-three. _After what happened in a city alley one night, back when I thought I had lost my powers, mum had taken it upon herself to teach me basic self defense and martial arts. We had never considered it before, since D and L kept me very well protected; but when they weren't around I didn't have a hope in the world. Now I could land a roundhouse kick, or at least knee someone in the crotch really hard.

Not that I couldn't do that before, but having my super strength back would be sure to make it all the more fun.

_'Wouldn't that hurt? I'm pretty sure if you kneed a guy in the crotch he'd never be able to have kids. Ever.'_

**'Then let's hope, for their sake, she never has to do it.'**

_'Agreed.'_

"Did you guys just agree on something?" I asked before spinning out and performing a perfect earlier mentioned roundhouse kick. "I'm pretty sure hell just froze over." My voice was weak and choppy due to my labored breathing.

The girls simply laughed, lending me strength and extra energy when I needed it. They were the best cheerleaders ever.

I let my thoughts drift as my body worked itself to the bone. After my powers returned last year, life had been pretty normal. Will and I turned eighteen - mum and dad bought me a silver Ducati and I scored yet another painting from Michelle - and school went on as it always did. We were now studying for our final exams and those of us who wanted to go to college were looking for places to apply at if they hadn't done so already.

Warren and I were still going strong. I doubt we could go anything _but _strong. He was all I wanted. Nonetheless, over the last few months we had stepped away from the high school relationship mentality and moved into a more mature one. We could be away from each other - for a certain amount of time - and not be bothered by it. Silences no longer needed to be filled with conversation and we moved around each other with a relaxed ease that hadn't quite been there before.

Our physical relationship had matured, too.

We still hadn't slept together - I think we came to the silent agreement to wait until after graduation - but we had since found other ways to... relieve the tension. If we ever spent a night alone together we spent it learning the planes of each other's bodies; I had learned where Warren was ticklish and exactly what bit of skin to kiss to make him moan. There have been nights where the pressure became too much and we used hands or lips to bring each other release.

I loved those nights.

Not to say that our relationship was all sunshine and rainbows. We fought just as much as any other couple, if not more. Warren earned the name 'Hothead' not just for his powers, and thanks to D I had a short temper. Find something we disagreed on and chances are it would morph into an argument. We had only ever had one or two big fights, after which we didn't talk to each other for a few hours. We always worked it out in the end though, most likely with a very hot make-out session. That's another thing I loved about us. Anger usually turned into passion.

My muscles had begun to ache when I heard movement by the door. Turning my head, I saw Will leaning against the door frame with a smug smile on his face. When he noticed me looking at him he pushed away from the frame and wandered toward me. "I thought I might find you down here," he said, turning the volume down on the stereo as he passed it. I frowned even though I could still hear the music with perfect clarity.

"What gave me away?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck with a tender hand.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I scrunched my nose up at him before surrendering with a sigh; he knew about the college issue. Hell, he was my twin brother, he could practically read my mind he knew me so well. "It's still bothering you?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he dropped the smug pretense and took hold of the punching bag.

I smiled weakly, grateful for the distraction of movement as I attempted to explain why I was so stressed. My punches were stronger this time, Will's strength holding the bag still. "I get it if you think it's strange for me to agonize over this," I began. "I don't really get it either. I want to go to college, don't get me wrong. I think it'd be great fun, but who's to say I'd actually get in? And then, on top of that, actually do well?"

Will said nothing for a time, merely watching as my kicks and punches grew in power before slowing and stopping altogether as I lost steam. Eventually I gave up and slumped against the bag, my hands gripping Will's forearms.

"I don't know what to do," I whispered.

Slowly, carefully, Will pulled me away from the bag and against his chest, ignoring my protests of being too sweaty to cuddle. "You're over thinking it, Jay," he said in a low voice and I relaxed against him at the use of his nickname for me. "If there isn't anything you want to study then don't push it. The right thing will come along eventually and you won't have to think twice about it." He rested his cheek atop my head and squeezed his arms around me. "Personally, I think that once you find your passion you'll surpass everyone's expectations of you. I believe in you. You know that, right?"

I turned my head into his chest and smiled. He always knew just what to say to ease my conscience. "Yeah, I know."

"Good," he said and leaned away, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Don't forget it." He looked at me intently for a moment and grinned. "By the way, Warren's here."

"He is?" I asked, perking up. He had to work today so I had yet to see him; the fact that he was upstairs sent my heart racing. It was wonderful, I thought, that after four years he still gave me butterflies.

Warren was chatting to Layla and Magenta in the lounge room when Will and I left the sanctum - I had changed back into my shirt from earlier but still felt sticky and gross - and looked up as we entered the room. My stomach clenched as his chocolate eyes found mine. His hair was still tied up at the back of his head in a messy knot, the way he usually did it when he was at work, which gave me a clear view of his face. High cheekbones, full lips, tanned skin and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Said smile was currently aimed right at me, which didn't help the hot and sweatiness I was dealing with.

Rising to his feet, he crossed the room and took my hand, leading me down the hall to the foot of the stairs where he lifted me onto the second step so that I stood over him. Will had a habit of complaining when we kissed around him so we always made sure to leave the room when we first saw each other.

Warren was still smiling, his eyes soft and warm as they looked over my flushed face. He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, humming tunelessly as he let out a low breath. "Hi," he said softly.

I grinned down at him, sliding my hands up his chest to his shoulders. "Hello," I replied, rocking forward on my feet. He moved to wrap his arms around me and I shrank back. "Uh-uh," I said, pulling a face. "I'm all sweaty."

"I don't care." He grabbed my hip with one hand and wrapped the other around the back of my neck, tugging me tight to his body. I stumbled down the stairs and crashed against his body with a startled squeal that was cut short as his lips met mine. Any and all thought of sweat and yuckiness and college flew from my mind as he kissed me, his lips soft and tantalizingly gentle. I clutched him tighter in my hands, pressing my body into his as my heart raced, my knees going weak as he pulled my bottom lip between his and sucked.

Oh, how I loved it when he did that.

He pulled back when I felt my head begin to spin from lack of air, watching as I leaned into him, breathing heavily. I'm sure my response to his kisses did wonders for his ego.

"So, how was your day?" he asked once I was sure I could stand up straight.

I raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed. "It was good," I replied and took his hands, leading him up the stairs. "But it's about to get a whole lot better..."

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**It feels so good to be doing this again.**

**Now, before you ask: yes. The rating will change in a few chapters time. I've got it set to T for the moment so that people who have been following the series won't have trouble finding it in the archives :) It will change to M at chapter six.**

**And now for the fun stuff. In the time since I finished Ignorance, Anna (who was mentioned earlier) and I decided to team up and write a collaborative series. It hasn't been posted yet - she was wonderful and put it on pause while I worked on this - but we're working hard on getting it written and out to you. The first story in the series is called _Pulvis et Umbra Sumus _and introduces a lot of new characters. We've had so much fun working on it and really hope you'll give it a go once it's posted. Jamie is in there, too! In case you don't already know, our collaborative account is called x-KarenxMarie-x and can be found in my favourite authors list in case you're looking for a quick and easy way to get to it ;) You're welcome.**

**Even though I haven't been around for a while, I certainly haven't stopped writing for Jamie and Warren. I posted a one-shot for Valentines Day called _Brighter Than Sunshine. _It's sweet and fun and a little bit different to anything else you may have read. It doesn't have anything to do with this, so you don't have to go back and check through the other stories to try and connect the dots.**

**Oh! Anna also wrote a one-shot for Jamie and Warren called _All the Pretty Horses _and can be found in my favourites list. It's absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend it :)**

**Well, I think that's pretty much it. A teaser for the next chapter will be up on the blog at some point during the week, and I'm always on Twitter if you want to come and say hello. I'm BlueWinterAngel over there.**

**I'll see you again soon. In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**


	2. The Sparks From Your Heart

**Hello, hello :)**

**The response to the first chapter was wonderful! I love that I'm starting to see some familiar names. And you all left me such lovely reviews; come here so I can hug you.**

**One thing I forgot to mention in my last AN was that some _Pulvis _characters will make appearances throughout this story. In fact, two of them play a big part in this chapter. See if you can find them ;) Anna, I'm sure you'll have no trouble whatsoever.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me (oh yeah.)  
**

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_**Chapter Two  
The Sparks From Your Heart**_

Despite how many times I'd played Save The Citizen over the years, I always managed to fumble over the various clips and straps for the protective gear that we had to wear.

_If I remember correctly, this clips into here, _I thought to myself, pulling the two straps together and grinning widely when the clips locked into place. _Success!_

**'These things need to be clip by numbers or something,' **D complained, having had to listen to my running commentary for the last few minutes. I'd gotten Will to help me clip up my gear at the back.

I laughed and turned to my brother who was watching me with an amused smile on his face. "Finally figured it out?" he teased.

"Don't make fun," I shot back, narrowing my eyes playfully. "This gear is like Mission Freaking Impossible."

He shook his head and looked to Boomer who was waiting patiently for us to finish gearing up. He had learned the hard way that if Will and I didn't get a go in the arena we'd nag... and nag... and nag and nag and nag.

All in good fun, of course.

I looked to the other side of the arena where our villains were finishing clipping up their gear. The girl glanced my way and smiled. Dana Alexander and Zane Morgenstern had transferred from the Tallahassee campus at the beginning of the school year and lived not too far from us. We were good friends with the couple and spent time with them outside of school on the odd occasion. They tended to keep to themselves a bit but Will and I both had classes with them so it didn't take us long to get to know them. Their powers were very impressive too; Dana was what the super community referred to as Umbrakinetic, meaning she had the ability to control shadows. But unlike Abby from my junior year exam, Dana also controlled all that dwelled in darkness, however unpleasant of a thought that was.

Zane, on the other hand, had the power of metamorphosis, but it was what he turned into that I got the biggest kick out of. He had the power to morph into a large black wolf, and when I say large I mean it. Stretched to his full height, I have to look up to see his face.

Will draped an arm over my shoulders as Boomer recited the rules, as per usual, and I sighed at the small pang of sadness that burst in my stomach. It had been a week since my conversation with Will down in the Sanctum and the knowledge that graduation was fast approaching made me a bit panicky. Finals began in a few weeks so we were trying to enjoy the last of our regular classes before we were swamped in exams. I couldn't help but think about how much I was going to miss playing Save The Citizen once we graduated. It was so much fun.

**'Come on, Jamie, don't go getting all depressed,' **D said in a gentle voice. **'We've still got a few weeks left. No point dwelling on it right now.'**

_'D is right,' _L chimed in. _'Just relax and have fun.'_

Inhaling deeply, I leaned into Will's side and looked up at the rows of bleachers where our classmates sat. Warren and the others were up the back and I smiled a little when they looked our way. Warren met my gaze and raised an eyebrow and for a moment I worried that he could read the expression on my face, but he merely smiled and winked at me.

**'I know I just told you not to dwell on things,'** D spoke up, sounding slightly apologetic. **'But you need to talk about college.'**

_I know, I know,_ I thought back and looked away from Warren to Will who was watching me intently. Crap.

"Don't think about it right now," he said in a low voice and I blinked at him in surprise. How did he always know? "Promise me."

"I promise," I whispered and he held me close, his arm squeezing my shoulders.

"Good," he continued as Boomer directed us to our places. "I want you to have fun today. Now, are you ready?" he asked, nodding towards the LED screen that had 5:00 lit up in green.

"I'm ready," I replied, letting the thoughts that had been plaguing me for days fall away as he dropped his arm from my shoulders and squeezed my hand once before letting go.

We waited in silence for a few short moments and I inhaled deeply as D and L's excitement all but swallowed me. Will grinned at me as the whistle blew - the blades in the centre of the arena whirring to life - and broke into a run, making a beeline for Zane who smirked and lurched forward, morphing into his wolf form in a quick burst of bright light and a soundless shimmer.

God, that was so cool.

Dana's mahogany eyes met mine from across the large room and I smirked at her before tilting my head back and letting L's soft energy spread throughout my body. I felt a soft pull as my wings emerged from my back and spread wide, the muscles stretching. My hair drained of colour until it spilled over my shoulders in waves of snowy white and my eyes glittered gold. I figured that when going up against Dana, it would help to stay off the ground.

I could hear Will and Zane wrestling to the far side of the arena as Dana and I stared each other down. L was rattling away inside my head, contemplating the distance between us and the beams high up in the roof. Her musings were cut short when I spotted the dark, constantly moving forms of Dana's shadows. I pushed off the ground and felt my wings beat hard to keep me air born as the tendrils of shadow followed my upward surge. I flicked my wrists and felt white, blinding fire flare to life in my palms; if Dana was darkness, then the only thing I could do was balance that with light. Almost unconsciously, I pressed a burning hand to the yin and yang tattoo on my hip.

_'Jamie!'_ L cried, realizing that I had zoned out momentarily. I looked up only to find myself surrounded by fast moving darkness.

"Crap," I hissed and felt my flames burn brighter.

The shadows twisted and curled around me, the closeness making my skin crawl. If you looked close enough, you could see solid shapes moving amongst the darkness but the moment you tried to focus on them they were gone. Glancing upward, I noticed that the shadows hadn't closed over my head and with a strong beat of my wings I shot up and through the gap, grabbing onto one of the beams in the roof and using the momentum to swing myself forward and into the open air. The students cheered as I emerged and then cried out as one when another shadow wall appeared in front of me, closing in and forcing me back to the ground. I swooped upward before my feet could touch the floor and dived back down toward Dana, my hands still burning. She grinned and cast and arm in front of her face, pulling shadows from the ground that rose up and swirled around me once more.

_I can't get away from them!_

L was silent for a moment, strategizing. _'See how well they can take a hit,'_she said. _'Everything can be worn down if you're persistent enough.'_

The shadows spun around me, faster and faster, taunting and distracting. I bared my teeth and threw ball after ball of burning white flame into the dark walls around me. With each impact a soft whispering screech could be heard, like an eerie scream. Goosebumps rose on my skin at the sound but still I continued on, light crashing and exploding against the deceivingly solid formation. Through the consistent, howling impact of the opposing elements I could hear my brother calling to me from out in the arena. Two minutes left. When was I going to get out of here? I couldn't go up again; Dana had learned from her mistake and closed me completely inside.

_'Remember what we did in your exam last year?' _L asked as I continued to pummel the darkness with my white flames.

_Yeah, I remember. But these aren't like those shadows. It'll be tough to break through._

_'Just try anyway. We might be able to make a space big enough to squeeze through.'_

Deciding to go along with it I crossed my arms over my torso and closed my eyes, gritting my teeth as L pushed our combined energy into the centre of my chest, where my wrists crossed over each other. As it had the first time, the pressure began to hurt, stealing the breath from my lungs and increasing the speed of my heartbeat. I didn't like keeping the pressure inside my body and had to fight against the natural instinct to turn it loose.

_'Almost there,' _L soothed and I could sense D waiting anxiously in the back of my mind.

My body began to tremble, my palms stinging where the nails cut through the skin. _We're running out of time, _I reminded her.

_'I know. Three... two... one... okay now, now!'_

I curled my legs up to my torso for a moment before throwing my limbs out wide as the pressure cracked through my chest and exploded in a blinding white light. The shadows screamed and shrank away from the brightness as I struggled to catch my breath, looking wildly for a way out. Had we inflicted any damage? I couldn't see anything.

_'Over there!'_

Turning my head to the right, I spotted a gap in the swirling darkness just big enough to squeeze through if I curled my wings in, but I would have to be quick for it was already beginning to close up. I used a sound wave to push away from the darkness, momentum once again surging me forward and through the gap right before it closed up. I glanced back over my shoulder and watched as the shadows sunk back into the ground, allowing myself a small grin before a set of sharp teeth closed around the protective gear strapped to my left leg. I shrieked, beating my wings furiously in an attempt to get away but it was no use; Zane threw me to the ground and pressed his paws to my arms to prevent me from moving. I looked into his silver eyes for a long moment, the two of us grinning at each other. One thing I loved about Zane was that he wasn't scared to throw me around, wasn't scared to play rough.

"Jamie!"

I looked towards the whirring blades that dangled below the citizen, spotting Will beside them currently dodging Dana's shadow corrals. He met my gaze and silent words passed between us, an unspoken agreement. We knew what to do.

Arching my back up off the ground, I smacked my hands into the floor again and again, sound waves rippling out from my fingers and across the floor to Dana, knocking her off her feet, the currents that followed effectively holding her down.

"Five!" Those that watched on began the countdown and I struggled further under Zane's weight.

"Four!"

Will looked from me to the citizen and back again. I was keeping Dana down, why didn't he grab it?

"Three!"

"Will, come on!" I screamed, to which he grinned at me. Then I understood.

He wanted us to finish this together.

"Two!"

I wriggled an arm free from under Zane's paw and thrust it outward, another sound wave rippling from my fingers and slicing through the rope.

"One!"

Will launched himself over the blades, grabbing the citizen before it could be torn to pieces and crashed to the ground, rolling several times before he came to a stop and held the dummy above him with a triumphant cry.

"TIME!" Boomer yelled and rose from his elevated seat. "She's alive! Heroes win!"

The crowd cheered and I relaxed against the wooden floorboards, laughing giddily. You were always left with a pleasant rush of adrenaline once the buzzer sounded to end the game.

**'That's right! We bad!'**

_'… You didn't do anything.'_

**'Don't ruin this for me, Sparky.'**

I pushed up into a sitting position and looked to Zane who had backed off of me when the game ended. He had shifted back to his human form and was grinning widely, his straight black hair stuck to his pale, sweat slicked skin. I held my arms out and he quickly jogged over to me, grabbing my hands and pulling me off the floor.

"Smooth move before," he said as we walked over to Dana and Will. "Using the sound wave to cut the rope."

"Thanks," I replied, leaning over and bumping my shoulder against his just before Will reached out and swept me off my feet, spinning me in a circle as I squealed and clutched at him. "Will, put me down!"

He laughed but did as I asked, setting me down on the floor and swatting at my hands as I rumpled his hair. "Good teamwork, sis."

I beamed.

"Alright, kids," Boomer spoke up and we turned to look at him. "Hit the showers. The next round starts in two minutes!"

x-X-x

"So," I began, speaking over the steady rush of water. "Did you hear back from PBA?"

"Yeah, just a few days ago actually," Dana replied from the next stall over. "Our dorms are on opposite ends of campus, though, which sucks. Zane was thinking of transferring to a closer one."

I tilted my head back into the water for a moment before stepping back and twisting the knobs, effectively ending my shower. I reached for the fluffy white towel on the bench as I spoke. "I'm sure he'll be able to work something out. He's got a way with the ladies, after all."

Dana laughed and I heard her feet padding over the tiles. "He's convinced that it's his manners and not his looks that get him places."

"There's nothing wrong with a gentleman," I argued, wrapping the towel around my body and wringing out my hair.

"No, there's not," she said and I grinned at the tone in her voice. "One good thing about dating a gentleman is that he _always_ puts your needs above his own."

There was a beat of silence before I caught on and started laughing.

"What about you?" Dana asked once we were dressed and walking together toward the double doors that would take us back into the gym. "Have you made any plans for college?"

I frowned, scrunching my nose up a little. "Um... well..."

"Uh oh, I know that face," she said, pursing her lips. "You haven't mentioned it to Warren yet, have you?"

"No," I sighed and ran a hand through my damp hair. "I want to, I just don't know what to say. That and I haven't found anything I want to study yet." When it came to college, I envied Dana. She, like Layla, had always known what she wanted to study, as did Zane. The two of them had been accepted at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida; Dana majoring in Dance and Zane in Studio Art, both minoring in Business Administration.

They made me feel lost.

"Hey." Dana reached out and took hold of my arm, pulling me to a gentle stop. "Don't stress about it. Warren loves you, anyone can see that. You shouldn't be scared to talk to him about this. Sure, it's a big step, but it's all just a part of life."

_'Told you so.'_

_Shush._

"I'm sure Zane will agree with me on this," she continued, raising an eyebrow. Her mahogany eyes shimmered with concern. "Just give it a try."

I bit down on my bottom lip as I nodded and she smiled that soft smile of hers, the two of us continuing on toward the doors.

Warren and Zane were waiting for us in the corridor, both leaning against the wall and conversing easily. They looked up when we emerged and Warren's eyes shot straight to my hair; he met my gaze and smirked.

"Is class over?" Dana asked, crossing the hall to Zane and taking his hand.

"Yeah, just finished," Zane replied. The two smiled at us before leaving for the cafeteria. I didn't miss Dana's pointed glance before she turned away.

I watched them leave with narrowed eyes, my mind ticking over as I contemplated Dana's words. She was right; I shouldn't be scared to bring this up. The fear was irrational and unnecessary, but in that respect, it was what it was. We couldn't always control our fear.

Warren pushed away from the wall and walked over to where I stood, taking my hand in his and squeezing gently. I blinked, resurfacing from the aimless swirling of my never-ending thoughts. He watched me with curious eyes. "Want to go with them?"

"Not just yet," I replied, leaning into his side. "I think I'd like to enjoy the sun for a little while."

He smiled in understanding and led me down the hall to the front entrance.

In our freshman year Warren and I found ourselves many a time under the shade of an enormous oak tree to the left of the main steps. As the months, and then years went by, it became somewhat of a getaway spot for us; a place where we could go and relax. It was always so peaceful there.

The shade of that oak tree is where we now found ourselves, Warren leaning against the sturdy trunk while I sat between his legs with my back to his chest. We decided to skip lunch altogether, instead opting to spend some quality time together. Warren had been keeping up a steady stream of work shifts this week, so one of the only times I got to see him - apart from at school - was when he climbed into my room at night, and by that time I was usually half asleep. Tonight was his last night shift for a while and I looked forward to being able to spend some more time with him.

**'Stop thinking, would you?' **D grumbled. **'I'm trying to pay attention.'**

I exhaled softly and turned my head into Warren's neck. While rummaging around in my bag I had found the book I was currently re-reading and set it down on the grass with every intention of picking up where I had left off on the bus this morning. Warren, having realized what I planned to do, took the book from my hands and asked if he could read it to me. Never one to pass up the opportunity to listen to him bring a story to life, I readily agreed. His voice was soft in my ear, a gentle harmony to the noises of the day. It seemed that my lazy thinking was distracting D from listening; L on the other hand had completely tuned us out, intent on catching every word. I smiled and focused on his voice again, just in time to hear him read one of my favourite lines.

_"There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there's a life after that I'll love you then." _He set the book down on my thighs and wrapped his arms around me. "Clever boy, that Jace," he said into my hair.

"I love that line," I whispered, his touch relaxing my body.

"And I love you," he countered, bending his head down to kiss the exposed skin of my shoulder.

My eyes drifted open as Dana's words echoed in my mind: _Warren loves you, anyone can see that. You shouldn't be scared to talk to him about this._

Inhaling deeply, I clenched my left hand into a fist to distract myself as I bit the bullet. "Hey, Warren?"

"Yeah?"

I leaned forward and turned my head to look at him. The sun glanced through the leaves and onto his face, casting intricate shadows across his tanned skin. His chocolate eyes were warm and dark, his smile soft, sated and happy. Would that smile fade with my question? And was now really the right time? I didn't want to shatter this perfect moment with the stressful topic of college. No, now was not the time. Besides, I had nothing to fall back on if he had something to ask.

Shaking my head, I smiled at him, hoping he couldn't read the panic warring with relief in my eyes. The girls were silent, letting me come to a decision on my own. "Nothing, it's not important." I leaned in and pressed my lips to his cheek. "Keeping reading?"

His eyes and mouth held an edge of confusion but he didn't press the matter, instead he picked the book up, kissed me on the lips and began to read again.

My hand relaxed as I leaned back against him, closing my eyes to the sun and trying to soothe my thoughts for the time being.

Later. I would deal with it all later.

x-X-x

A soft, lulling tune floated through my room as my fingers plucked at the guitar strings. Mum and dad were out on yet another distress call and Will had Layla over for the night; I had spent an hour or so with them downstairs but could tell they wanted to be alone so I retreated to the sanctuary of my room. Warren was at work so I was looking for ways to amuse myself until he came over. Our almost conversation about college had been weighing on my mind all day. I knew I couldn't bring it up until I actually had some inclination about what it was that I wanted to study, but the knowledge that I was keeping something from him was beginning to eat away at me.

I plucked the wrong string and cursed. Stupid, overactive mind. Placing my guitar down on the floor I threw myself back onto the mattress, covering my eyes with my forearm -

Only to shoot upright almost straight away, eyes wide. _Where's my laptop?_I asked the girls, my heart beginning to race.

**'Whoa, whoa, what's wrong?'**

_Nothing's wrong, just help me find my laptop._

**'It's on your desk, where you left it last night. Jeez, settle down.'**

_'Look into her thoughts, D, and you'll understand why she's so anxious,' _L explained, and I could detect the excitement in her tone.

I felt the telltale tingling in the back of my mind as D rummaged away, and then the startled jolt that sent a burst of static crackling up my arm. **'Oh! I get it now. Well yeah, hurry up and get your laptop.'**

Grinning, I all but leaped from the bed in my rush to retrieve my laptop from its place on my desk. My foot wiggled impatiently as I waited for it to boot up, my eyes skimming the paintings and photos on my wall, lingering on the painting Michelle had given me for my birthday this year: the Eiffel Tower at sunset, the sky behind the historic structure lavender and orange. My favourite had been, and always would be the painting she gave me on my sixteenth birthday that practically covered the entirety of the wall above the headboard of my bed. A beautiful flower filled meadow with sunlight streaming in through the leaves.

A quiet _beep_had me glancing back down at the computer screen; it was all booted up and ready to go. My fingers practically flew over the keys in my haste to get to Google; the girls warned me several times not to press too hard. Although it was D who possessed the super strength I had inherited from my father, I had still been known to break things when I wasn't in the form of either of my counterparts. Despite the fact that we had three people in the house with super strength, dad still held the record for breaking the most phones.

I quickly typed two words into the search box and waited rather impatiently for the first page of results to load. When it did, I stared wide-eyed at the screen, unsure of what to click first. _Pick one, _I thought, the cursor hovering above one link and then moving to another.

**'Columbia,' **D said almost instantly.

_But it's Ivy League, _I argued.

**'Just shut up and click it.'**

Shaking my head I clicked the link and glanced sideways at my guitar. How had I possibly missed that? I had been playing guitar since I was nine years old and the thought of studying Music at university had never crossed my mind before. It was a hobby, never something I would have considered doing for a living. Don't get me wrong, music meant the world to me, but it wasn't something I wanted to further into a career. It was more... something special that I wanted to keep to myself.

_'So do it as a minor instead,' _L suggested. _'Find your passion and choose a major based on that.'_

_But I don't know what I'm passionate about, _I told her, although the excited clenching of my stomach told me otherwise.

**'We all know that's not true, Jamie,' **D said with a soft laugh. **'Look around you. What is the one thing that stands out above all else in this room?'**

I lifted my gaze from the screen to look around my room, eyes skimming over my desk, bedside table, the corner of my bed, on the floor, in the bookshelf. No matter where I looked, I saw books. Piles and piles of books. The sight of them made me think of the dozens of Word documents hidden away in my computer files. Stories I'd started but never had the chance to continue and finish. My grandmother used to say that imagination is the greatest gift of all, and nothing can ever take that away from you. And with two other people inside my head I was never short on wacky, imaginative ideas.

Without a doubt, writing was my passion.

I leaned back against the headboard and took a deep breath, fingers hovering over the keys as I stared at the empty search box on the Columbia home page. "Here goes," I murmured to myself as I typed _Creative Writing _into the search box and hit enter.

* * *

**-squee- My baby is growing up.** **Were any of you expecting her to choose music and creative writing? I certainly wasn't.**

**So, did you guess who the Pulvis characters were? That's right! It was Dana and Zane :) They'll be around a lot, so feel free to take some time to get to know them. I'm sure if you twist his arm enough, Zane will snuggle with you (we just won't tell Dana.) -dodges frying pan- Jeez, Dana! I was kidding!**

**Also, I don't know if any of you noticed, but I totally forgot to post a teaser during the week, which brings me to my next point. If I know I'll be able to post chapters within a week of each other, would you rather just wait for the chapter to post, and then, if there's going to be a delay, I'll post a teaser? Let me know. **

**Well, I think that's about it for now. If I've forgotten anything... I'm sure I'll complain about it later ;) I hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you again soon.**

**Oh! The line Warren reads is from City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. Okay, now I'm done.**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**


	3. Take Control

**Hey you :) How was your week? Do anything interesting?**

**I don't really have anything to report, except that you're all amazing and I want little mini versions of you to take everywhere with me. Somebody make that happen.**

**One more thing. Just because the rating won't change for a few more chapters, doesn't mean these kids won't get to have some fun in the meantime. You'll see what I mean, and you're welcome ;)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:**** All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Three  
Take Control**_

I had a noticeable bounce in my step in the days following my college epiphany. After bringing it up with Will and my parents I had made the arrangements and received my application forms. I planned to apply at, at least, half a dozen different colleges and universities, just in case I didn't get into the ones I wanted.

Columbia was by far my favourite. I had spent hours browsing their courses and campus galleries; it was a beautiful school and a wonderful place to learn more about what I loved. But, it was also Ivy League and ridiculously competitive, so I tried not to get my hopes up.

Besides, I had yet to actually fill out and send the forms off. It had only been three days since that night in my room, but I didn't want to leave this any longer.

It had to be done, and for that, I had to tell Warren.

I decided I would tell him tonight. We were going to his place for a barbeque – as was usual every few weeks – but I didn't want to bring it up while we were all having fun. Instead I would wait until he came in through my window later in the evening, after I had gone to bed. My stomach twisted with nerves whenever I thought about it, but they weren't nearly as bad as they had been. I was more confident now; I knew what I wanted and didn't feel bad for wanting it.

"You know, I feel bad for the girls sometimes," Will said as I set my Xbox controller down with a huff. He always beat me at this game.

"Oh yeah?" I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "Why is that?"

"They have to put up with your ridiculous train of thought," he chuckled. "I can tell you're distracted. I take it you're telling him tonight?"

"Seriously, _how do you do that_?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him and leaning forward. "I know we have the twin bond and everything but dude, it's like you can read my mind."

"What makes you think I can't?" He grinned, flashing his dimples. "In all sincerity, are you?"

"Yeah." I nodded and smiled a little. "Do you think it'll go over well?"

"I think you're worrying for nothing," he said. "It'll go as well as it can with Warren."

"You know that doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence, right?" I scrunched my nose up at him before rising from my spot on the floor. "I'm gonna go for a ride. I'll see you later?"

"Sure. Go have fun." He waved me away, disabled my controller and reached for our freakishly large stack of Xbox games. I smiled and turned away. At least he would keep himself occupied while I was gone.

I clicked the button for the roller door as I stepped into the garage, grabbing my jacket from its hook and slipping it on as the door curled up and away from the floor. Daylight streamed in through the open space, piercing the relative darkness of the room. Since three out of four of us could fly, we didn't have much use for cars; mum and dad had their work car and I had my Ducati. Apart from that, the garage was almost completely devoid of vehicles.

Swinging my leg over the bulk of my motorbike, I sat down on the cushioned seat and plucked the helmet from where it dangled off the handlebar. With a sturdy pull it closed over my head and I could hear nothing but the sound of my own heartbeat and the low growling of the engine as I clicked the ignition. My eyes closed and I smiled.

I loved that sound.

My silver Ducati had been a complete surprise. Warren knew that I wanted one and must have given word to my parents because on the morning of my eighteenth birthday they had blindfolded me and led me out the front where my bike sat with a bright red bow around the handlebars.

There may have been squealing.

'**I wouldn't have called it squealing,' **D argued as I cruised down the driveway and onto the road. **'I would have called it crying and screaming complete with vigorous flailing.'**

_It doesn't matter. I won't admit to anything without hard photo evidence._

'_Actually. I think Will took a photo on his phone,' _L mused, while D laughed at the fact that I said 'hard.'

Laughing under my breath, I turned onto a side street and revved the engine, watching the dial on the speedometer creep up and over toward the far side. If I ever found myself without a particular destination in mind I tended to drive aimlessly through the connecting streets of my neighborhood before heading off to the track.

Ever since Warren took me there for my first riding lesson, the quiet dirt track on the outskirts of town had become one of my favourite places in Maxville. Lined by tall standing trees and beautiful stretches of fields and hills, the track was practically closed off from the rest of the world. I loved it.

20 minutes later and that's exactly where I ended up.

Dirt billowed up behind me as my rear wheel skidded across the ground before the grip caught and the bike lurched forward. Trees whipped past me in a blur of green and I cried out into my helmet, my fingers gripping hard to the handlebars. I was on my third lap of the twisting trail and was contemplating going for a fourth when I felt a subtle vibrating against my thigh.

'**The hell is that?' **D asked as I slowed to a stop and propped myself up with a foot on the dirt.

'_I think it's your phone, Jay.'_

I removed my helmet and frowned, reaching a hand down to pluck my phone from my pocket. Sure enough it was vibrating in my hand. I had left it on silent. "Oops," I said to myself as I flipped it over and smiled at the name on the screen. I pressed the call button and held the phone up to my ear. "Hey."

"Hi there," Warren replied, his voice as smooth as honey. "What are you up to?"

"Not a lot," I replied, running my free hand through my wind tangled hair. Crap. "Just down at the track."

"I had a feeling you'd be down there. A bit bored, huh?"

I looked up through the trees at the clear blue sky and smiled. "Maybe."

He chuckled into the receiver and my fingers clenched around a lock of my hair. "Did you end up finding out what was causing that rattling?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I just needed to clean out the exhaust. It was a little bit gritty from when we went riding the other week after the rain. A bit of mud had dried out in the pipe. Easily fixed."

"My little mechanic," he said and I grinned. "Listen, there's still a few hours left before the rest of your family shows up and mum's gone to the store for a little bit. Do you want to come over?"

"Well, I don't know." Despite my words I reached for my helmet again and leaned forward in my seat. I couldn't say no to him, and the kissing and touching we were bound to do would serve as a wonderful distraction from the conversation we would be having later tonight. "What's in it for me?"

Warren released a long breath and I couldn't help but picture him lying back on his bed with an arm curled up behind his head. Happy and relaxed, just the way I liked him. "Trust me, Miss Stronghold; I'll make it worth your while."

A shudder rolled down my spine. "I'll be there in ten," I said and ended the call, shoving my phone back into my pocket before putting my helmet back on and speeding off down the track to the road.

x-X-x

My chest rose and fell with my rapid breaths, my heart pounding in my ears as the last of the spasms left me lying limp on the mattress. Warren crawled up my body, smiling wickedly as he watched the flush spread over my skin. "Hi," he said after a long moment, the sound morphing into a low chuckle.

I blinked at him, too weak to form words.

"I think I followed through with my promise to make this worth your while," he continued, leaning down to whisper in my ear. _"Thoroughly." _

A breathy laugh escaped my throat and I smiled up at him as he brushed a lock of hair away from my face. "You need to be careful," I whispered. "You could be used as a weapon of mass combustion."

'**Damn straight. Make him do it again.'**

_Not right now. I'll probably lose consciousness if he does it again._

His eyes followed me as I stretched my arms over my head and arched my back, coiling my muscles for a moment before releasing them and flopping back down onto the bed. I rolled my eyes at him and cast my gaze around the room in search of my clothes. The only thing still on my body was my bra and even that was clinging haphazardly to my chest. Warren really loved to touch.

Eventually I spotted my underwear not too far from the bed and swung a leg toward the floor, hooking my big toe around the material. I quickly slipped them back on and grabbed my shirt, deciding to leave my legs bare for the moment. Warren's door was locked, and it wasn't as if he'd never seen my legs before. Obviously.

"I don't see why you have to get dressed," he said as I curled back up beside him, resting my head on his chest.

"Because if I don't then we'll never leave this room," I told him, listening to the steady thump of his heart against my ear. He wrapped a warm arm around my shoulders and held me close. "When is everyone supposed to get here, anyway?"

Warren glanced over the top of my head at his bedside clock. "About half an hour; we can get away with being lazy for a little while longer."

"Fantastic," I sighed, closing my eyes. "I could use a nap."

"And what will I do in the meantime?"

I tapped a disjointed rhythm against the sliver of tanned skin above the waistband of his jeans, delighting in the catch of his breath. Teasing was so much fun. "You're a smart boy. You'll think of something."

I felt the rumble of his chest as he chuckled and slid a hand down my body to my left leg which he pulled up and over his hip in one fluid movement. I smiled and pushed a little closer. "I think a kiss could be fun."

"Oh, really?" I propped myself up on an elbow and raised my eyebrows.

"Really," he confirmed, his lips twitching as he fought to keep his expression blank and serious. It didn't take him long to cave and start smiling. I laughed and leaned in close, grazing my lips over his in a teasing kiss before he grabbed the back of my head and all but crushed our mouths together. I held his face in my hands and he glided his fingers through my hair, his other hand pressing into my back. Fast forward a few minutes and I was kissing my way down his stomach, my body tingling as I watched him press his head back into the pillows and groan. My fingers hooked through his belt loops and tugged.

I was all about returning the favor.

x-X-x

The evening passed in a blur of laughter, food, music and the use of powers to get things done faster. I spent most of the evening sprawled out on the grass with a hand on my stomach, so full I was convinced I would burst. Will threatened to push on my stomach until I used a sound wave to knock him over.

Occasionally my thoughts would drift to college and the conversation I planned to have with Warren later, but I let it go. Now was the time to have fun and enjoy the company of the people I loved, not to stress over things that hadn't happened yet.

Despite my reasoning, there was a moment during the night when I feared I would have to bring it up prematurely.

I was leaning back against Warren's chest, drawing aimless patterns on his arms while I continued to digest my food. I was so drowsy and wonderfully relaxed that I feared if I closed my eyes for too long I'd fall asleep. Warren noticed when I almost did so and chuckled to himself when my head would jerk back up after lolling forward.

"So, Warren," dad spoke up from where he sat on the deck. "Do you have any plans for once you graduate?"

That woke me right up. My gaze shot to my father's relaxed and otherwise impassive expression and I widened my eyes at him. What was he thinking? Was he just making conversation or did he have an ulterior motive?

'**Calm down,' **D soothed, although she sounded a little concerned. **'Let's see where he goes with this.'**

Warren shifted behind me, his arm flexing in my lap. "Uh, I haven't really thought about it," he replied.

"No plans for college?"

_I think I'm having a heart attack._

'_Oh, relax.' _L laughed to herself, not worried in the slightest. _'Let them talk.'_

"Not at the moment, no." Warren rested his chin atop my head and I sighed. He didn't seem stressed. Man, I was jittery.

Dad nodded and his eyes met mine for a moment before he looked away. "No matter what you do, make sure it's something that makes you happy."

'**What about who you do?'**

'_Pervert.'_

'**Hey, you were thinking it, too.'**

'_Yes, but I chose not to say it out loud.'_

'**Good for you. I have no filter.'**

'_I was wondering when you'd notice.'_

_Shut up, girls, _I scolded them playfully, relaxing against Warren's firm body once again as the conversation shifted to a safer topic. Will met my gaze and smiled reassuringly. He mouthed 'relax' and returned to his second helping of food; or was it his third? The boy could put it away like you wouldn't believe.

The night continued without further possible complications, much to my relief.

Warren walked me out to my bike when I decided to call it a night, pulling my face to his before I could put my helmet on. I leaned back against the bulk of the motorbike as his tongue slid past my lips and curled my free arm around his neck, the other dangling towards the ground with my helmet strap clenched tight in my fist. He pulled away when my cheeks were flushed and I was somewhat desperate for air.

His eyes were soft when they met mine. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You seem a little tense."

"I'm fine," I lied. I was starting to get nervous again and had been praying that he wouldn't notice.

His brow furrowed and he examined my face. He knew something was up but would wait until I was ready to talk about it. It wasn't often I kept things from him, but this subject was delicate – in my mind anyway – and I didn't want to screw it up by blurting it out randomly. "You sure?"

"Positive." I attempted a smile and reached up to put my helmet on, thankful for the opportunity to hide my face from him. He had the habit of being able to see right through me. "I'll see you later?" I asked as I swung my leg over the bike and settled on the seat.

"Of course." He smiled at me and stepped back, watching as the bike roared to life and cruised down the driveway. I gave him a little wave before revving the engine and taking off down the street.

Will was waiting for me when I got home, he and our parents having left a little earlier than me. From what I could tell, mum and dad had gone to bed. "How did it go?" he asked as I made a beeline for the stairs.

"Yeah, good. He asked if I was okay, but I don't think he suspects me of anything."

"What would he suspect you of? Jeez, Jamie, you're not committing a crime. You've been agonizing over this for days."

"I know," I groaned, pausing to lean my head on the wooden railing. "I'm just nervous."

"You've told me before," he said softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and urging me further up the stairs. "I'm sure the girls are getting sick of your repetitive thinking. I hate to be harsh, but you're out of excuses, Jay. You have to do this sooner or later, and I promise you, it's not going to be nearly as bad as you think."

"You really think so?" How many times had he had to reassure me over the past few days? I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. I knew I was being ridiculous, but it was like my mind was playing in a constant loop of stress. Our impending graduation probably had something to do with it and I simply needed something to focus on and freak out over to take my mind off the other huge things that were happening in my life.

God, I was a basket case.

"I do," he promised, smiling softly. I exhaled a heavy breath and stepped into his waiting embrace, burying my face in his shirt as he held me close. "I'm going to go to bed, but you let me know if you need anything during the night, okay?"

I nodded, his words reminding me of when we were little and scared of the dark. We shared a room at the time and he used to sit next to my bed and hold my hand until I fell asleep on nights where I got upset. He had always been there for me.

Will kissed my hair before stepping back and making his way down the hall while I headed for the bathroom. A hot shower was exactly what I needed to calm my nerves.

By the time I was back in my bedroom, my now dry hair up in a ponytail, it was almost midnight. Warren would be here soon. With the hope of passing time, I grabbed the small stack of college application forms from my desk and sat down cross-legged on my bed. I had forms for Columbia, Syracuse and even the University of Toronto amongst the others and was in the middle of reading over the form for Syracuse when I heard rustling outside my window.

_Wish me luck, girls. _I swallowed heavily and looked to the window, watching as the pane lifted to let in the gentle breeze.

My heart slammed against my rib cage as Warren climbed lithely through the window and into my room. He blinked a few times, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness, illuminated only by the glow of the moon. A moment later his eyes came to rest upon me and he smiled, taking a few steps forward before he noticed the sheets of paper on my bed. He paused, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

_Here goes nothing._

"You know how dad said that, no matter what you do, make sure it's something that makes you happy?" My voice was soft and I only just managed to keep it from shaking.

"Yeah." He drew the word out, not quite understanding.

"What would you say if I told you I've found something that makes me happy?"

He sat down on the edge of my bed and looked down at the forms, trying to focus on the writing. "College forms?" He looked from the sheets of paper to my face and back again. "You want…?" he trailed off, unsure.

I nodded. "I want to go to college."

He fell silent and I squeezed my eyes shut, ducking my head down and tensing in preparation for the outburst. Instead, I felt a warm finger curl under my chin and Warren's soft voice urging me to open my eyes. I did, staring at his face. He looked calm and relaxed, maybe a little hurt and quite a bit curious. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't been expecting him to react like this. "You're not mad?"

He recoiled as if I'd slapped him. "Jamie, you want to study at college. I think that's wonderful."

"You do?"

"Of course I do," he said, his tone hinting that I may have insulted him. "You think I'd try and stop you?"

"Well, no." I frowned. "I just… I wasn't sure what you'd think. This is such a big step and I was a little scared to bring it up."

"Oh, Jamie," he sighed and slid along the mattress until he sat behind me. I shuffled back into his arms and turned my face into his neck. "You know you can tell me anything. I don't want you being scared to talk to me."

"I'm sorry," I whispered and his arms tightened around me.

"It's okay," he soothed.

'**He's taking this surprisingly well so far,' **D mused.

'_No kidding. I thought for sure he'd take issue with something. Maybe we were wrong?'_

_Maybe._

"Now," Warren spoke up again, peeking over my shoulder. "What is it that you want to study?"

"Music," I replied. I felt so at ease now. Looks like Will was right. "And Creative Writing."

"Yeah?" I nodded and he kissed my temple. "I think they're perfect for you."

Smiling, I picked up the Syracuse application form again and looked it over. "I need to fill these out over the weekend and get them sent off. I'm lucky they're letting me apply for next year so close to the deadline."

I didn't notice until after I'd stopped speaking that Warren had gone still behind me, his muscles tense. "Warren?" I turned my head to look at him but he wasn't watching me. His eyes were intent on the form in my hands, his jaw clenched and twitching. "What's wrong?"

"Syracuse?" he asked, his voice suddenly strained. "Isn't that in New York?"

"Uh… yeah," I murmured, placing the form back on the bed and shifting the others around so that he could read the names. "These schools offer the best courses for what I want to study."

"New York, Washington, Chicago, Toronto?" His eyes went wide at the last one. "Canada?"

I nodded. "It has a great Shakespeare program that I might be able to take, if I get in of course. But it's very competitive, so we'll see."

"So far away," he whispered to himself and I felt his arms tighten around me. "There aren't any places here in Maxville?"

My brows furrowed. "Not really. I mean, they have some good courses at the community colleges, but I want to make the most of this. If I'm going to study something, I want to get the best education I can." He didn't say anything and my stomach began to twist again. "Warren?"

He inhaled deeply and shook his head to clear it before he looked down at me and smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm happy for you, Jay. I really am. This is exciting."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do." He leaned down and kissed me softly on the mouth. "I'm proud of you, too."

"Thank you." I turned and wrapped my arms around him. "You don't know how great it is to hear you say that."

After putting the forms back on my desk Warren and I slipped under the covers and curled around each other. Despite his earlier words, Warren's arms were still tense around my body and I could feel the tightness in his jaw against the top of my head. There was something about this whole ordeal that had upset him, but I wouldn't push him. He'd tell me when he was ready. I just hoped it was nothing too severe.

* * *

**Uh oh. What's the matter, Warren?**

**Before you start panicking, the drama will stay on the back-burner for a little while longer. There are a few other things that need to happen first :) Speaking of which, I hope you liked the little teaser of what's to come... ahem... in later chapters. It gets better. Trust me.**

**If you want to see Jamie's Ducati, feel free to jump on over to the All I Wanted photo gallery. There's a link on my blog. Once you get there just click on the Photo Gallery link in the sidebar.**

**Well, that's about it from me. I hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you again soon for chapter four!**

**In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**


	4. The End Of An Era

**Boo :)**

**I have something cool to share with you at the end of the chapter.**

**Thanks, as always, for your lovely reviews. Even if you've just put this story on alert or in your favourites list, it means the world. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing people respond to and appreciate something you've worked so hard on :)**

**See you at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: ********All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Four  
The End Of An Era**_

I hummed to myself as I rummaged around in my locker, searching for my Hero Lit textbook. My next class was a free and since I had my Lit exam at the end of the day I thought I'd get in a little extra studying while I had the opportunity.

'**You've been such a nerd these last few weeks,' **D complained as I slid the textbook under my arm and closed the locker door. **'We don't do anything except study anymore.'**

_And for good reason, _I told her. _These are my last High School exams. Ever. I want to do well._

'_Good for you, Jamie.'_

'**God, L, you're such a kiss ass.' **D snorted with laughter while L called her a string of unflattering names.

I rolled my eyes and continued down the hall, weaving through the crowd of students – most of them seniors rushing to get to their next class – and around the corner where I almost knocked Layla off her feet.

"Hey!" she greeted cheerfully, her arms full of books. "Where are you off to?"

"The library," I replied, leaning against the wall to avoid bumping into anyone else. "What about you?"

"Mad Science exam." She pulled a face and I laughed. Mr. Medulla was known for having some of the most challenging exam questions than any other teacher at Sky High. He was also very particular about punctuality, which explained Layla's somewhat panicked glances at the clock on the wall. "Um, speaking of which…"

"Yes, go, go." I ushered her away with my free hand, nudging her playfully as she continued past me. "Good luck!"

If there was one annoying thing about the final weeks of senior year, it was that I hardly got the chance to just hang out with my friends. The only time I really saw anyone was on the weekend. Until then we had to make do with five second conversations as we passed each other in the hall, and then the hour we were given at lunch.

Despite the hustle and bustle, we did our best to make the most of our last few weeks here. The knowledge that we were now mere days away from graduating made everyone a little bit jittery, myself included. Every time I walked a corridor or sat through a class I couldn't help but think that it would be one of the last times I would do so. Two days from now I would be a high school graduate.

My stomach clenched and I looked to the ground as I pushed the library door open with my shoulder. As much as I complained about homework and classes and never ending weekdays, I knew without a doubt that I'd miss it all once it was behind me.

I sat down in my usual spot underneath a large window up in the back corner, flipping my textbook open to the page I had marked so that I knew where to pick up from. It was full of stuff I already knew, but there was nothing wrong with a bit of revision.

As I studied, students came and went, talking about trivial things. In amongst the mindless chatter a pair of seniors walked past where I sat, quietly discussing their plans for college; and try as I might, I couldn't stop my mind from wandering away from the pages to my own college situation.

After my conversation with Warren, I spent the next day filling out and sending off my application forms. I hadn't heard back yet and the suspense was killing me. Despite it all, I couldn't help but wonder if Warren was really okay with all of this. He had taken it surprisingly well, but there had been a moment when the mask cracked and I had heard something akin to fear in his voice. I hadn't brought it up and he seemed to prefer it that way. Nonetheless, there was always a bit of tension in his jaw, a tightness to his muscles whenever college was mentioned in any context.

I had brought it up with Michelle a few days later who told me to be patient; Warren would talk about it when he was ready. In the meantime, it seemed he had found a way to distract both himself and me while we waited for any responses. Earlier in the week, he told me that he had a surprise planned for me as a graduation present, but I wasn't allowed to find out what it was until the day of. If the surprises he had planned for me over the years were anything to go by, I would absolutely love what he had in store.

The fact that I wasn't allowed to know yet didn't stop me from trying to finagle even the most minuscule of details. But no matter how hard I tried, he remained tight lipped.

'**I still think sexual favors would help loosen his tongue.'**

'_Uh, his tongue is already pretty loose in that department.'_

I tried my hardest but I couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, earning myself a stern glare from the librarian.

Oops.

x-X-x

"What do you think of this one?" Magenta held up a silver wrap dress for Layla and I to inspect.

I pursed my lips, feeling completely out of my element. When it came to fashion I was the last person you wanted to get an opinion from. I knew what I liked and for the most part my style was pretty simple. Out of the three of us, Magenta was the best at putting different articles of clothing together to create a dazzling ensemble. Her decision to study Fashion Design was a very good one.

"Um, it's pretty," I said. "Why don't you go try it on?"

She looked to Layla who nodded in agreement and smiled. "Yeah, I think I will. I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Layla called after her. "We're not going anywhere."

The three of us were down at the local shopping centre for not only an afternoon out together, but for the chance to possibly find something to wear for graduation tomorrow.

Talk about leaving it to the last minute.

"So, any thoughts on what you want to wear?" Layla asked, peeking at me over her shoulder. We were in one of the big name brand clothing stores and I felt lost. Everything was all tight and sparkly and could probably pass for lingerie instead of a dress. I mean, honestly, who would wear something that freaking _short?_

"Can't I just wear something from home?"

"For any other occasion I'd say sure, but this is huge, Jamie. We're _graduating. _You have to dress up a little." She eyed my Beatles shirt and denim short shorts with curious eyes. "Don't worry, we'll find something that suits you."

I shook my head with a tender smile. The more I thought about graduation, the weirder it seemed. Will and I had known Layla since first grade and now we were about to finish high school together and, hopefully, go off to college. Where had the time gone?

Magenta emerged a few minutes later only to hang the dress back up and shake her head. "It was nice, but just not the right one."

"Where do you want to go next?" Layla asked and shushed me before I could request a pit stop at the bookstore. Spoil sport.

"There's a cool little clothing shop down by the food court. We can swing by there and then go get something to eat?" Magenta suggested as we left the store and rejoined the steady flow of local shoppers.

That little shop ended up being Magenta's own personal gold mine. She found her entire graduation outfit in there; dress, shoes and jewelry. I browsed a bit, but nothing really stood out for me. They both laughed at the dejected look on my face and soothed me as we walked to the food court, promising that we'd find something for me to wear before the day was out.

While our main goal was clothing, it seemed I wasn't the only one thinking about our impending milestone.

"Just think," Layla began after setting down her juice bottle. "This will be one of the last times the three of us will go shopping together."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, because we go shopping _so _often."

She scrunched her nose up at me. "You know what I mean. We'll be going off to college soon and won't be able to just call each other and organize to go out whenever we want. We'll be in different states and everything." She smiled wistfully. "It's like the end of an era."

"It's not going to be forever," Magenta soothed. "But I understand. It'll be weird at first, but you'll get used to it."

"I'm going to miss you guys." Layla sniffed and I reached for her hands.

"No, no crying!" Emotions were high and I knew that tomorrow we'd all be blubbering messes, but I wanted to enjoy today. We needed to have this happy memory to look back on once we were separated. "Besides, we'll all come home for the holidays so we'll see each other then."

"I know," she sighed and blinked rapidly to push the tears back. "It's scary to think about being away from everyone, though."

Magenta nodded in understanding. "Well, we can worry about that once we've got our response letters. In the meantime let's just enjoy this, okay?"

And enjoy it we did. We walked around for hours, laughing and just being absolutely ridiculous. Layla had taken it upon herself to document the entirety of our senior year so we often had to stop to have our photo taken, and even when we weren't posing she was snapping pictures.

Amidst our silliness I finally managed to find an outfit that both girls – and the ones in my head – deemed perfect. It was simple, colourful and to my surprise, I really liked it. With that out of the way, I all but dragged them to the bookstore.

We left later that afternoon looking like a group of best friends from a chick flick. Arms linked, hands full of shopping bags – one of mine was full of books, but hey – and laughing our heads off.

It was silly and it was cliché, but it was us.

And I wouldn't change it for the world.

x-X-x

"I don't even think this is mine," I laughed as I rifled through the pile of knick knacks I had dumped on my mattress.

"I've never seen it before," Warren replied, raising an eyebrow at the fluro green yoyo that dangled from its string in front of my face. I had cleaned out my locker before I met up with Layla and Magenta and couldn't believe how much pointless stuff I had collected over the years. A yoyo for instance. "Maybe it's Zach's?"

"Probably." I set it aside and reached for a photo of everyone from homecoming freshman year. I had misplaced it not long after it had been printed and never found it again. It had been stuck between two books at the back of my locker. Go figure. "Looking through all this stuff is like stepping back through time."

"Getting nostalgic already?"

I smiled at the photo and passed it back to him. "Maybe."

He chuckled and scooted up behind me, pressing his warms lips to my bare shoulder. "You should try and get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."

"I know," I sighed. "But I feel like it'd be wrong to sleep. This is such a big deal and I don't want to miss a minute of it." He smiled against my skin and I scrubbed my hands over my face. I had been up and down for the last few days. Why did this have to be such an emotional thing?

Warren wrapped his arms around me and I leaned back against him. "You won't miss anything, baby, I promise. Now please come and get some rest."

"Fine." I sighed dramatically and flopped down onto my stomach. "You leave me no choice, you monster, you."

He merely raised an eyebrow and tickled the underside of my foot, laughing when I squealed and tried to wriggle away from him. Despite how emotionally up and down I had been today, all it took was one little smile from him to make me feel like everything was going to be okay, and for that I was very grateful.

Together we gathered up all the bits and pieces from my locker and placed them on my desk to rummage through later. I stared at them absentmindedly as Warren walked back to bed. It was strange how much meaning all these little things had; each and every one was a treasure from my high school years, no matter how small or insignificant they were. At the time, they had been important to me, to us.

Layla was right.

It really did feel like the end of an era.

* * *

**Aww. Is anyone else feeling a little sentimental?**

**Now for the cool news :) I've been thinking about this for months so hopefully it goes over well. I've been writing Jamie for four years and, because of that, I know her better than she knows herself. So now I'd like to give you the chance to get into her head. If you're up for it, I'd like to have a character interview with Jamie. You can submit questions through reviews, PMs or even tweets, and they can be about anything from all four stories in the series. The interview will eventually be posted over on my blog. **

**So, what do you think? Sound like something you'd be interested in? Let me know!**

**Graduation is next :) **

**In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**See you soon! **

**xx**


	5. Little Wonders

**Ready to graduate?**

**I'd say these kids are more than ready to be done with school. Best not keep them waiting ;)**

**See you at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: ************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Five  
Little Wonders**_

Waking up the next morning brought with it one of the most surreal moments of my life. I stared at the ceiling, trying to wrap my head around it all.

I was graduating today.

Warren left almost as soon as he woke; we had to be at the school by 11:30 and it was already nine. He gave me a quick kiss, a reminder to breathe and promised to see me later. I smiled dazedly and watched him slip out my bedroom window.

The next time he came back through my window we'd be high school graduates.

'**That's like saying when you eat breakfast today it'll be the last time you eat breakfast as a high school student.' **D's tone was mocking, but I knew she understood how I was feeling.

'_Be nice,' _L scolded her. _'She's just a bit dazed, that's all.'_

'**Dazed? The girl is practically catatonic! Come on, Jay, snap out of it!'**

I blinked hard and shook my head. _Sorry._

'_Don't apologize, we understand. D is just being silly.' _

D growled and I smiled as the sound rattled about in my head.

It took me a moment, but I managed to collect my thoughts and relax enough to get up and wander down the hall to the bathroom. The hot water from the shower helped clear my head and I emerged feeling much better. Sure, this was a big deal, but I wouldn't be doing myself any favors by freaking out about it. This was supposed to be a happy occasion and damn it, I was going to make the most of it.

You only graduate once, after all.

Back in my room I grabbed my dress from the closet and laid it out on my bed before slipping on the matching white lace bra and underwear set that I had bought while out shopping yesterday.

What? There's nothing wrong with wearing something nice underneath. It's a confidence booster.

The dress I had found was white and came to about mid-thigh with short sleeves, a dipping neckline and floral print across the top in red, blue, green and yellow. Unlike most dresses I wore, this one was fitted and hugged gently to my figure.

I slipped the dress on and smoothed my hands over the fabric as I gazed around in search of my shoes. Despite my complaining and worrying that I'd slip and break my ankle, I had been coerced into buying a pair of fluro yellow high heels. I had to admit that they were cute and after a bit of practice I found it was easy to walk in them without falling.

I still preferred my Chucks.

Shoes and dress on, I crossed the room to my chest of drawers and plucked a wide silver bracelet from the jewelry box sitting on top; with a soft click it fastened around my wrist and I breathed a sigh of relief. For the most part my outfit was done. My hair was practically dry but there wasn't a whole lot I could do with it except grab a few clips and pin it up in a simple twist at the back of my head. I left it loose enough for a few locks to slip free and curl against my neck.

"There. All done." I caught my reflection in the mirror and smiled weakly, turning away as a soft rap on the door popped the bubble I had been living in all morning and it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't been downstairs or even down the hall to see Will yet. "Come in," I called.

The door cracked open and Will popped his head in. I let out a soft breath at the sight of him and quickly crossed the room, stepping into his welcome embrace. He kissed the top of my head and we swayed gently from side to side. We didn't speak for a long moment, more than content to just hold each other and take in the feeling of finality that made the air seem heavy and every step full of meaning and startling importance.

"You look beautiful," he said in my ear and I leaned back to look at him. He wore black pants and a simple white button down with the sleeves rolled up. He didn't put gel in his hair much anymore, so it had a simple windblown look that suited him now that he was older.

I brushed a stray lock of hair away from his eyes with a fond smile. "Thank you, and I must say you look very smart. It's not often I see you looking quite so formal."

"Yeah, well, it's not often I see you wearing high heels." He arched an eyebrow at my shoes. "Honestly, how can you walk in those things?"

"I have no idea," I laughed. "Anyway, did you need something?"

He shrugged. "Not really. I just thought it might be nice if we walked downstairs together. Kind of like we're taking the first steps into the rest of our lives, you know? Call me sentimental, but I wanted to share that with you."

My eyes stung at the corners and I blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay. I would not cry, not yet at least, but the fact that my brother wanted to do something as simple as walk me down the stairs made me want to sob until I lost my voice. "Really?"

"Yeah," he replied, watching me with affectionate eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I tried to say, but my voice cracked and I sniffed. Damn it.

"Oh, Jamie. Come here." He chuckled softly and pulled me back into his arms, rubbing my back as I buried my face in his shoulder and tried to stop the tears from falling. "It's a big day for us. Don't worry, I understand."

"I know," I choked. "It's just so final. I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Hey." He leaned back and curled a finger under my chin, tilting my head back so that I met his gaze. "You're ready, I know you are." He brushed a tear from under my eye and smiled. "Now come on, we need to get downstairs. I'm sure mum wants to take about a million photos before we leave."

I laughed weakly and he stepped back to offer me his arm. He gently nudged my shoulder once I slid my hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Ready?" he asked as we left my room and stood waiting at the top of the stairs.

I inhaled deeply, letting my eyes close as I relaxed my shoulders. When I opened them again I met Will's gentle gaze and smiled. "Ready."

x-X-x

The heels of my shoes made a soft clicking sound when I touched down on Sky High's front steps and I sighed, reaching up to fix my hair. I had gone a little overboard, twisting and curling through the clouds with Will while mum and dad watched us with proud smiles. Said brother landed next to me and laughed as I pinned back a lock of hair that had fallen free of its placement. I used a wing to swat at him while my hands were busy, grinning as the large, feathery mass knocked him back a few steps.

"That's enough," mum chided us as Will tried to grab the tip of my wing. "You're here to graduate, not have your own private round of Save the Citizen."

"Sorry," we chimed, falling into step behind them. It was surprisingly quiet outside, only a few other families milling around. Either everyone was inside or we were a little bit early.

"Hey, look at that." Will nudged my shoulder and pointed to the banner hung over the front doors that read: _Congratulations Seniors. We'll miss you._

"Aww." My stomach clenched and I felt the corners of my eyes prickle. "Damn it," I groaned and shook my head in a quick, jerky movement. "Is everything going to make me cry today?"

"Don't worry," Will soothed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "I'm sure mum has tissues."

I elbowed him in the ribs.

Walking the halls of the place we'd been to almost every day for the last four years not only with our parents, but dressed as formally as we were, was a very surreal experience. Will squeezed my hand whenever he thought I was getting too close to tears, which helped because I really didn't want to be a crybaby today. At least I wasn't alone; I noticed mum dabbing at her eyes with a tissue every now and again.

The closer we got to the auditorium the more people we saw. Ethan and Magenta were leaning against a row of lockers, chatting aimlessly, when we found them. Ethan wore dark pants and a plain shirt like most of the other boys, while Magenta wore a lavender silk wrap dress and black heels. She touched my cheek and smiled encouragingly. Her eyes were a little glassy and I couldn't help but wonder if she was feeling the emotions of the day, too.

"Have you seen Layla?" Will asked, craning his neck to see over the gathering crowd of students.

"Um, I think she's in the auditorium," Magenta replied.

"Warren's in there too, if you want to see him," Ethan told me, tilting his head toward the double doors.

"Thanks." I leaned in and hugged them both before Will and I walked through the doors our parents had disappeared through a few minutes beforehand.

The setup was quite simple; a stage at the far end of the room with a podium in the centre. A row of chairs sat at the back for the teachers who would stand and congratulate us as we crossed the stage to receive our diplomas. Row upon row of chairs lined the floor, reserved for families and graduating students. The Sky High banner hung from almost every pillar in the room, including a large one at the far windows.

"Wow," I whispered, gazing around. "Someone pinch me." A sharp sting on my arm quickly followed and I whipped my head around to glare playfully at my brother.

"What?" he asked, holding his hands up and gazing at me in a show of innocence. "I was just following orders." I rolled my eyes and he hugged me to his side. "Oh, there's Layla. I'll be back, okay?"

"Sure." I looked to where Layla stood with her parents and waved when she saw us.

With Will no longer beside me I began to wander aimlessly around the large room, taking in the finer details that had become so familiar over the years. The scratch marks on the wooden floor from students whose power involved claws, the shadows that the window panes cast over the room when the sun came in at a particular angle, the way your voice echoed off the walls if you spoke loud enough. Such small things that helped to make up the bigger picture that people would carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

'**God, where's Warren? I need a hug.'**

I laughed to myself and reached up to touch my hair. _I'm sorry. I can't help being a little sentimental today._

L hummed in understanding. _'This is a big day for you. But you pose an excellent question, D. Where in the world is Warren? Ethan said he was here.'_

As if taking cue from the words in my head, a warm hand cupped my hip and a voice I would recognize anywhere spoke low in my ear. "Has anyone told you that you look absolutely stunning today?"

I turned around and smiled, looking up into Warren's soft chocolate eyes. "Hi," I whispered and wrapped my arms around his neck, exhaling as he pulled me against his body. The uncomfortable tightness in my chest eased at his familiar touch; it didn't matter what the situation was, one touch from him was all it took for me to relax. "I'm so glad to see you."

"You saw me this morning," he murmured into my shoulder.

"That was too long ago."

He chuckled and leaned back to look down at me. "And I thought the view from the back was good." I raised an eyebrow and he winked at me. "You really do look beautiful, baby," he said and leaned in to kiss my forehead. "When did you get this?" He nodded to my dress.

"Yesterday, while I was out with Maj and Layla." I let my gaze travel down his body and hummed in approval. "I like your choice of outfit, too, by the way."

Warren didn't dress up unless he absolutely had to, and while his outfit wasn't exactly formal, it wasn't strictly casual either. He wore black jeans, a black button down with the sleeves rolled up - giving me a wonderful view of his tanned forearms – and a white tie that dangled loosely over his chest.

I slid an arm from his neck and pinched the end of the tie between my fingers. "What made you wear this?"

"My mother," he groaned. "Apparently I had to balance the black with something lighter or whatever, I don't know. I'm not a girl, I don't understand this stuff."

"That makes two of us." I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. He really had no clue as to why the tie was necessary. I didn't either, but it looked fantastic on him.

He shook his head with a smile and pulled me close again. "How are you feeling?"

I sighed and leaned my head on his chest. "Frazzled," I replied. "The ceremony hasn't even started and I'm already freaking out."

"I'm sure you're not the only one. Just remember, today is supposed to be special, and I want you to enjoy yourself. I'm right here whenever you need me, okay? We're all in this together."

Of course. I'd been so wrapped up in my own emotions that I'd stepped away from the big picture and that fact that I wasn't the only one feeling like they'd just fallen off the deep end. There was an entire year of students graduating today, almost a hundred kids that would be leaving school behind and taking those first tentative steps into the real world. Warren was right. We were all in this together.

"Hey, Warren?"

"Hmm?"

I leaned back and smiled up at him. "I love you."

He sighed and cupped my face in his warm hands, his thumbs ghosting over my cheeks. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch. "I love you, too, beautiful girl." I felt him lean down before his warm lips closed over mine and my mind went blank. He kissed me softly, sweetly, yet kept it under control so that we didn't show the other people in the room something they didn't want to see. Despite the innocent nature of our lip-lock I still stumbled forward a step when he broke away, dazed and tingly all over.

"Mum is staring at us," he said, gazing over my shoulder. Regaining my equilibrium, I turned around and saw that Michelle was indeed watching us with a wide grin on her face. She waved when I spotted her and Warren quickly led me across the room and into her waiting arms.

We spent the next half hour talking to Michelle and the rest of our friends, mum and dad joining us after they had thoroughly caught up with Mr. Boy and the other members of the Sky High teaching staff. Zach thoroughly approved of the colour of my shoes yet insisted that he glowed brighter than they did. Layla had brought her camera along so we posed for yet another heap of photos, laughing, smiling and teasing each other the whole time. Amidst the insanity, we all put on our soft blue graduation robes and shoved the caps on each other's heads.

And then, at 12 on the dot, Principal Powers called for everyone to take their seats.

We had to sit in alphabetical order so that people weren't shuffling down aisles full of students when they were called to the stage. Warren kissed my forehead and whispered gentle reassurances in my ear before he took his seat a little ways up from Will and I, who sat side by side. My brother let me squeeze the crap out of his hand and didn't complain once; then again I probably wasn't hurting him.

Speeches were made both by Principal Powers and our Valedictorian, a sweet girl from my Tactics class. A few students teared up when the Principal wished us all the best for the future, including me.

'**Get ready, Jay,' **D said as we applauded loudly once the Valedictorian finished her speech and stepped down from the podium. **'Time to graduate.'**

'_And Jamie,' _L added as I sat up straighter and took a deep breath. _'D and I just wanted to let you know that we're both so proud of you and the woman you have become. You've had to deal with many hardships over the years and they've helped to shape you into the wonderful person you are now.'_

_Guys, _I whined. _You're gonna make me cry. I can't go up there with puffy red eyes._

D laughed. **'Sorry, dude. But it had to be said. If we had to share a body and mind with anyone, we're glad it's you.'**

'_That's her way of saying I love you.'_

I smiled and tightened my grip on Will's hand. _I love you, too, girls. And thank you. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you._

'**Yes you would,' **D insisted. **'You'd be a little less awesome, but you'd still be here.'**

L snorted.

With a racing heart and a stomach that was clenched almost to the point of pain, I watched as students were called up one by one to receive their diplomas, shaking hands with the teachers before leaving the stage to stand by the far wall. I listened as the names were called, the list getting closer and closer to the 's' portion. Will and I cheered like idiots when our friends received their diplomas: Dana, Zach, Ethan, Zane and Warren, who I applauded rather enthusiastically for. Warren met my gaze as he crossed the stage and winked.

And then…

"Jamie Stronghold."

I rose from my seat and smoothed down my dress before making my way over to the stage. The applause that started when my name was called continued as I climbed the stairs and walked to where Principal Powers stood. I looked out over the crowd, spotting Michelle and my parents amongst the sea of faces; they were all standing, of course, whistling and clapping with expressions of pure joy and pride on their faces. Smiling widely I shook the principal's hand and closed my fingers around my diploma, still unable to believe that this was happening.

"Congratulations, Jamie," she said, smiling at me. Everyone was smiling today. It was contagious. "You've earned it."

"Thank you," I replied, harboring nothing but the deepest respect and gratitude for this woman who had guided me through some of the toughest years of my life. I prayed she could hear how much her help meant to me in the strength of my voice. The look in her eyes told me that she had.

She dipped her head and turned back to the podium to call the next name. I walked to the line of waiting teachers and shook their hands, exchanging brief words as Will made his way up onto the stage. I quickly descended the stairs and joined the other students, watching as the remaining names were called. When we had all received our diplomas Principal Powers announced that we were this year's graduating class and when the applause began again, we all pulled our caps off and threw them into the air, laughing and cheering as they fell back down on us like drops of rain.

And just like that, I was done.

Will was the first to find me, weaving his way through the crowd and pulling me into his arms as soon as I was within reach. I grinned at the sound of his laughter, all my earlier sadness and worry stripped away. Once the shock of what had just happened wore off I found myself overcome with joy. It had taken four years, but I had done it. I'd finished high school.

The next ten minutes were a bit of a blur. Hugs were given, tears were shed and voices rose over each other in an attempt to be heard until it was just one big cacophony of noise. When we realized that shouting wasn't doing us any good we shed our robes and made our way outside, eager for fresh air and sunshine after being in the crowded auditorium for the last hour or so.

"Congratulations, baby," mum said, hugging me_ again_. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks," I mumbled into her shirt. Dad put a hand on my back and I smiled at him over mum's shoulder. She quickly passed me over to him and I took comfort in the strength of his familiar embrace.

"Well done, Jamie." His voice cracked a little and I smiled to myself. Despite how big and intimidating he looked, when you got right down to it, he was just another proud father getting emotional at his kids graduation.

After speaking briefly with my parents I made my way back to Warren who wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. "Walk with me?" he asked, leaning back and offering me his hand.

"Lead the way."

We walked lazily across the grass, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it beat down on our backs. It wasn't until Warren steered me past the main steps that I realized where we were going. The oak tree we had found ourselves under many a time over the last few years stood tall and strong, casting its familiar shadow over the grass that surrounded it.

Warren ducked under the low hanging branches and leaned against the trunk, slipping his arms around my waist as I leaned against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart against my ear. "Is it weird that I'm going to miss this tree?" he asked, his fingers pressing into my lower back.

"Of course not," I replied. "I'll miss it, too. We made a lot of good memories here."

He chuckled and raised one of his hands to cup my face. I tilted my head back and looked up at him. "How are you feeling?"

I turned my head and kissed his palm. "I'm good. A little dazed, but good. It's kind of hard to believe that we just graduated, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Speaking of good memories, I think it would be wrong of us to end such an important day without making another one, don't you?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I laughed and wound my arms around his neck. "Oh, absolutely."

He leaned down with a smile and as his lips met mine, the world fell away.

* * *

**-wails-**

**This was a very emotional chapter for me to write. This entire series has followed Jamie's high school life, and having her graduate really cements the fact that this is all starting to wind down. I'm very proud of her, though :) Way to go, Jamie!**

**I know I don't mention anything about heroes and sidekicks being paired up - it's not really necessary for this story - but if you want, you're more than welcome to come up with pairings for everyone :)**

**In case you've forgotten, the rating will change when I update next. We're almost there!**

**If you'd like to see it, there's a photo of Jamie's graduation outfit in the photo gallery.**

**And remember, the character interview with Jamie is still on the cards, but it can't happen without you guys! Seeing as it's the last story in the series, I want to give you as much extra stuff as I can. So if you want it, let me know.**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	6. Tremble For My Beloved

**This is where the story earns it's M rating. **

**If sexual content makes you uncomfortable, you're more than welcome to skip the end of this chapter. **

**Thanks to Anna for holding my hand while I wrote this, even though it took about two weeks ;)**

**Disclaimer: ****************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Six  
Tremble For My Beloved**_

I set my book down on my thighs and leaned my head back against the wooden post behind me. The sun beat down strong and warm on my skin and I closed my eyes, focusing on the relaxing heat that spread throughout my body. It was nice to finally be able to relax after such an eventful day.

Will and I had flown home together while everyone else took the buses; mum and dad arrived home a little after us, having stayed back to catch up with old classmates. Warren told me that he had a few things to do before he came over, so while he was out doing whatever I decided to sit on the front porch to read and just enjoy the remainder of the day.

'**Liar. You could easily sit on the roof and read, or lay on the grass in the backyard. You're waiting.'**

I smiled to myself and refused to answer, if only to piss her off. It was true; I did have an ulterior motive as to why I was sitting out front. Despite everything that had happened today I couldn't shake the feeling that I had forgotten something. Something important.

And from the mischievous spark I'd seen on more than one occasion in Warren's eyes today, I was betting that he knew something about it. So, I planned to wait outside for him to get here and then ask him about it before I forgot and just kissed him silly instead.

'_Perhaps you should have written it down as a reminder? Do you have any Post-Its?' _L teased.

I shook my head and laughed. _Very funny._

'**You have to admit it's a good idea.'**

_Are you going to let me read or not? _I asked, gazing longingly at the book in my lap.

'**Probably not.'**

L chuckled to herself as I bookmarked my page and stood up, stretching my arms above my head as I turned my face up toward the sun. A ripple of energy flowed through me and I heard the zap of static as it crackled along my arms, a telltale sign that D was feeling content and all kinds of playful. Idiot.

'**You love me.'**

'_Surprising, considering you're such a pain in the ass.'_

'**Jamie, she's being mean!' **Her voice was light and teasing and I laughed.

_You deserve it._

I tuned her out before she could respond with a flurry of colourful names and playful insults, leaning forward to gaze down the street as the sound of a rumbling motorbike engine reached my ears. It seemed as though my sensitive hearing picked up the noise before it was in the range of regular human ears, because it took at least another thirty seconds before the familiar black Ducati rounded the corner and cruised down the street to pull up in our driveway.

The bike idled for a moment, purring with life before the rider cut the engine and plunged the world back into blissful silence. My body thrummed, wanting to feel the vibrations against my skin, the way they rattled in my chest like a second heartbeat; I'd have to go riding later.

'**Does that sound dirty to anyone else?' **D asked as L snickered in the back of my mind.

Warren removed his helmet as I walked down the path and onto the driveway, pushing his hair back from his face. "Hey, baby," he greeted when I was within arm's reach before wrapping his fingers around the back of my neck and pulling me into a kiss that made my knees go weak.

I leaned back when my lungs began to burn from lack of air and smiled at him. "You sure know how to greet a woman. I hope you don't say hello to your mother like that."

He scrunched his nose and chuckled. "I think I'd get in trouble for pulling a stunt like that." He dismounted from his bike and put his hands on my hips. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Maybe," I replied, tilting my head back to look at him.

"Definitely," he teased. "Admit it."

"Never."

He sighed, feigning hurt and stepped closer, his hands sliding around to the exposed skin of my back. "You changed clothes?"

"Of course. I can only stay in a dress and high heels for so long before I start going insane."

'**You're already insane.'**

_Yeah, and it's all your fault._

'_Ha ha.'_

'**Shut up, Sparky.'**

"It's a shame," he said, pulling me away from the sparring match in my head. I tuned them out again before I ended up a million miles away. "I really liked that dress. Then again, I like this, too." He stroked his thumbs over my hip bones, admiring my denim short shorts and white cropped t-shirt that left my stomach exposed.

I closed my eyes and leaned into him, enjoying the feel of his hands on my skin. "Uh huh," I murmured, all kinds of distracted by him. "I thought you might."

"Dressing up for me, are you?" He pressed his lips to my temple and spoke low in my ear. "You chose a good shirt, too. It'd be so easy for me to just…" he trailed off and slid his hand up my back and under the loose material of my shirt, his fingers stroking my spine in a way that made me shudder.

"Settle down," I gasped, leaning back and peering up at his grinning face. He was toying with me. _Where was this coming from? _"The last thing we need is to get so worked up that one of us starts a fire."

Warren shook his head and leaned down to kiss me, his lips soft as they slid over mine. I wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him closer and he groaned into my mouth, squeezing my sides before he broke the kiss and turned his head to the sky. "You're temptation incarnate, I swear to God."

My heart raced and I bit down on my bottom lip, the taste of him sharp and perfect on my tongue. "Perhaps we should go inside? Will and Layla are watching a movie if you want to go and say hi."

"No, no. I'm fine." He inhaled deeply through his nose and looked down at me again. "I just need a minute. Besides, that's not why I'm here."

My eyebrows rose. "It's not?"

He smiled, looking a bit more relaxed now, and shook his head. "Have you forgotten?"

I had. "I know I'm missing something, but I can't put my finger on what it is."

"Well then, allow me to help you," he said and pulled one of his hands away from my body to reach into the back pocket of his jeans. I heard the clink of light metal being struck before he brought his hand forward again and held it up beside his head; a set of keys dangled from his finger.

I blinked in confusion, still not quite understanding. "What are the keys for?"

His smile was infinitely patient. "They're part of your surprise."

_Oh! _

Of course! How had I forgotten? Warren had told me weeks ago that he had a surprise for me and I wasn't allowed to find out what it was until graduation day. It must have slipped my mind.

I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand. "God, I'm such an idiot."

He laughed and kissed the top of my head. "I was wondering when you'd catch on. I didn't want to have to spell it out for you."

"Sure, make fun of the forgetful girlfriend. You're so sweet."

"Well then, my forgetful girlfriend, would you like to know where we're going?" he asked and my gaze snapped back to his. Right. Those keys unlocked something, and it turns out this particular something was a door.

I pursed my lips and watched his eyes. "You're not going to make me guess, are you?"

"I thought about it, but no." He took my hand, placed the keys in my palm and curled my fingers over them. "You remember the summer house we have up in the hills?"

I nodded. Michelle had told me countless stories of when she had taken Warren to the small summer house they owned out in the forests about an hour from here. I'd never seen it before but it sounded wonderful. I waited for him to continue talking but he simply stared at me, that patient smile still in place. As I watched him, the pieces came together in my mind with a _click._ I gaped at him. "We're going to your summer house? Really?"

"Yes, really," he said. "I thought you might like to spend a few days up there with me to relax and just enjoy some quality, uninterrupted time together."

My lips curved upward and I beamed at him. "Is that why you disappeared after graduation?"

He laughed. "Yeah. Mum bought plenty of food for us to stock up the kitchen there, and we had to turn on the water and electricity and all. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take. But everything's done and ready for us."

"When do we leave?" I asked. From what he was saying it sounded like it would be soon.

"In about ten minutes," he said and I blinked in surprise.

_Talk about a heads up._

"Well then, I'd better go and get my stuff."

"Actually," he began before I could make my way back to the house. "It's already up there. Layla and Maj packed your stuff and dropped it off at our place earlier this morning."

"So _that's _where all my clothes went." I shook my head with a smile. "I thought mum had washed everything." I looked up at him again. "Can I at least go grab my camera and stuff?"

"Of course." I went to leave again but he held me still, a strange tension in the set of his shoulders. "And I was thinking, with it being just us…" he trailed off, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes as he waited for me to catch up to where he already seemed to be.

It didn't take me long. The whisper of a conversation from months back replayed in my mind; the promise to wait until graduation, until all the drama and stress was out of the way and we could really focus on what we wanted to do. I hadn't really thought about how we would build up to it, but it seemed that Warren had already figured it all out.

"Warren," I breathed, taking his hand in my free one and squeezing tightly. "You mean it?"

He smiled a little. "Yeah. But only if you're ready." He brushed a lock of hair away from my eyes and exhaled. "I'd never push you."

I stretched up on my toes and kissed him softly on the mouth. "I'm ready. I want this."

x-X-x

After slinging the bag strap over my shoulder I made my way down the stairs to where Warren was waiting by the door, surrounded by my family. His eyes met mine as I reached the first landing and he smiled, obviously just as eager as I was to start our time together. I still couldn't believe it; alone, completely alone. For days.

My stomach tightened.

"Ready to go?" he asked and all eyes turned to me.

"Yeah, all done." I jogged down the last few steps and was almost immediately pulled into my mother's strong embrace. "Hi there," I laughed, patting her on the back.

"Sorry, sweetheart," she said and leaned back with her hands on my shoulders. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you all graduated today. Before you know it you'll be off to college."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Warren's expression turn dark, a flicker of emotion crossing his strong features but by the time I turned my head to look at him, it was gone.

"So, you're going off to the summer house, huh?" Will said, pulling me back to the present with a cheeky grin.

I smiled. "Why am I not surprised that you knew all about this?"

"I'm your brother; it's my job to know." He took my hand and pulled me to him for a quick hug. "All joking aside, have a great time."

"I can't wait to hear all about it," Layla added. I raised my eyebrows and she flushed. "Okay, maybe not _all _about it."

"Nice save." I winked at her before turning to Warren. "Time to go?"

He nodded. "If we leave now we'll get there before sunset. The roads are a bit difficult to navigate at night."

I gave dad a quick hug before taking Warren's hand. "Have fun, kids," he said as we continued on past him.

"And make sure to call us at some point," mum added. "If you can get reception, that is."

I smiled. "I'll climb a tree if I have to." Warren opened the front door and we stepped over the threshold. "See you later."

"Drive safely, Warren!"

"Don't worry, Josie," he said, walking backwards down the path. "We'll be fine. I promise to take good care of her."

Dad dipped his head with a proud smile. He had told me once that out of all the boys at Sky High I could have dated, I chose the best one. I felt a sudden burst of love for my family; most parents wouldn't let their teenage daughter go to a summer house with her boyfriend alone, especially when there was no one else around to supervise. But, my parents trusted me – even though I'm sure they knew of our intentions – to be careful and make the right decisions.

They were giving me the space I needed to grow up.

Warren handed me my black riding jacket – which I assumed he had retrieved from the garage while I was in my room – and I quickly slipped it on. Despite it being warm out today, the wind could get quite sharp when you travelled fast enough and the last thing I wanted was a nasty case of bright red wind rash. As I zipped the jacket closed Warren held out my silver helmet and smiled as I shoved it down over my head, slipping his hands under the collar of my jacket to free my hair. "You okay in there?"

I scrunched my nose up at him, knowing full well he couldn't see me through the tinted cover over my eyes. "I'm fine," I replied, my voice muffled by the padding inside the helmet. Warren swung his leg over the seat of the bike and I followed suit, settling in behind him and securing my bag in my lap. Once his helmet was on Warren leaned forward and kicked the bike to life, the hum of the engine racing through my body. I wrapped my arms around his torso, locking my fingers against his stomach and felt him relax at my touch.

Mum, dad, Will and Layla still stood in the doorway and I raised a hand to wave at them as we backed out of the driveway and onto the street. Will yelled for him to "do a wheelie" and never one to disappoint, Warren revved the engine before releasing the clutch; the bike lurched forward and I squealed as the front wheel lifted off the ground. My brother cheered and whistled as we hit the ground again and took off down the street, the sound of my laughter ringing in the space between us.

After a quick stop at Warren's place to say goodbye to Michelle – in which I received a very knowing smile and a rather sinister wink – we were out of the suburbs and tearing down the highway, the roar of the bike a constant vibrating thrum beneath us. I watched the scenery whip by with distracted, far away eyes, my mind already cast ahead to what would happen once the sun had dipped below the horizon and the moon had taken its place.

'**Nervous?' **

I smiled, the sight hidden by my helmet. _A little, yeah. We've been building up to this for years and to only be a few hours away from it actually happening…_

'_But you want this, right?'_

_Of course I do. _A sign flew by in a blur, numbers and miles left to travel written on it. _More than anything. I'm just… a little worried._

'**I was wondering when the jitters would set in.' **While her voice was teasing, I could feel her love and concern swirling about in my chest.

I laughed once, a sharp, dry sound. Warren rounded a corner and I leaned with him to ease the bike around the bend. _What if I disappoint him? _

D snorted. **'Seriously? That's what you're worried about?'**

'_Be nice,' _L scolded. _'She's allowed to be nervous.'_

'**I know that, but still.' **She sighed. **'Trust me, Jamie. He won't be disappointed.' **She pulled up memories of whispered words, gentle touches and endless kisses. My body warmed. **'Think back on all those times you two got carried away. Did you feel nervous then?'**

I thought about it. _No._

'**And afterward, did he seem disappointed?'**

No. Warren always wore a blissful smile afterward and kissed me with such passion that I worried I would float off the bed and be lost to the world.

D listened to my thoughts and I felt a rush of satisfaction from her. **'See? Never once did he tell you it was bad or that you weren't what he was expecting. He loves you, Jamie, he loves you with a love I've never seen before. You have no reason to doubt yourself.'**

'_Couldn't have said it better myself. Who knew you were such a softie?' _L teased, although she seemed proud.

'**Yeah, yeah. Whatever.' **She laughed to herself. **'And if it makes you feel any better, Jay, it's all instinct. Your body will know what to do.'**

x-X-x

The sky was painted in hues of light blue, orange and lavender by the time Warren turned off the main stretch of road up in the hills and onto a smaller dirt path that weaved its way through the tall standing trees. I peeked over his shoulder to try and spot the house but there were too many ferns and other kinds of greenery for me to get a good look.

"Are you sure you turned off at the right spot?" I asked, my voice rising over the low rumble of the engine as we cruised down the path. "I can't see anything."

"Be patient," he said and I could hear the smile in his voice. "We're almost there."

He was right, for a minute or two later we broke free of the trees and entered a small clearing and there, in the middle surrounded by ferns and a few more trees – because let's face it, they were everywhere – was the Peace's summer house.

It wasn't huge, but neither was it tiny. It was all polished wood and big windows with a roof that overlapped and rose a bit higher in the middle. I exhaled in a rush as Warren came to a stop and cut the engine.

"What do you think?" he asked, reaching up to remove his helmet and look at me over his shoulder. His hair stuck to his temples and neck, but his eyes were bright and happy.

I unhooked my arms from around his torso and pulled my own helmet off, pushing my hair away from my face so that it didn't block my view. "It's perfect," I whispered and turned my head to smile at him. "I love it."

"I'm glad, and if you like it now, just wait until you see inside."

He swung his leg over the seat and once he was standing beside the bike, reached up and lifted me into his arms. I giggled and kissed him softly, one arm around his neck while the other kept the strap of my bag on my shoulder. I stumbled a little when he set me down, my legs a little numb and wobbly from sitting still for so long. The loss of the vibrations from the engine made my skin tingle hollowly.

Warren took my hand and led me up the small set of stairs to the deck and glass front door where I handed him the set of keys I had put in my bag for safekeeping. "Hey, Warren?"

He paused with the key in the lock and looked at me. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for bringing me here."

His face lit up with a smile so beautiful my heart ached. "You're welcome. I've wanted to bring you here for a while now. I was just waiting for the right moment." He turned the key and I heard the faint _click _of the lock releasing.

I took a step forward as he pushed the door open, but before I could get inside Warren swept his arm under my legs and lifted me so that I was cradled in his arms. I grabbed at his shirt with a startled squeal. "Warren!" I laughed, kicking my legs. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying you over the threshold," he said with a wicked grin.

"That's only if you're on your honeymoon," I replied, still giggling.

He scrunched his nose up at me. "I don't care. Now shut up and let me do my manly duty." I poked my tongue out at him and he shook his head before stepping over the threshold and into the house, being careful not to bang my head against the door frame.

The exterior of the house in no way prepared me for what I would find inside and the sight of it made my mouth drop open. I couldn't help but wonder if Michelle had worked her artistic magic here because it was absolutely stunning. A perfect mix of rustic and modern with a lounge room, kitchen and quaint little dining room that all opened up into each other. It was wide and open and gave you a sense of being free and not caged in like an animal. I spotted a door that led out onto a small balcony at the side of the house and smiled as I imagined sitting out there to watch the sunrise through the trees.

"Oh my god," I breathed as Warren set me down on my feet so that I could wander around. "This is beautiful. Why don't you come here more often?" I turned to look at him and he shrugged.

"We never really had a need to," he said simply. "We used to come here all the time before the drama with my dad, and when we weren't here mum was working on renovating it. She was overjoyed when I asked if I could bring you here."

I nodded, completely lost for words.

"Come on," he went on and took my hand. "I'll give you the tour."

The further into the house we travelled – which wasn't far because it was small and cozy – the more awestruck I became. There were windows and skylights up in the high parts of the roof which cast beams of the late evening light onto the cream and wood walls which I couldn't help but run my fingers along. I spotted several of Michelle's paintings, too; some black and white, others in colour and all absolutely stunning.

The bathroom was another large, open space with floor to ceiling windows that ran along the two back walls. A stained wood counter with a large mirror stood between the tiled shower and the bath in the far corner. I spent a few minutes gazing out the windows at the beautiful view through the forest before Warren snapped his fingers in front of my face with a gentle laugh.

And then we reached the bedroom.

It was separated from the bathroom with two wide, glass sliding doors covered in a white design that warped your view in an attempt at giving one privacy if they desired it. I didn't miss the way Warren's throat moved as he swallowed heavily before sliding the door open and guiding me inside.

The room was beautiful in its simplicity, which hardly came as a shock because every single room in the house was beautiful. Another skylight was fitted into the high roof which aimed sunlight directly onto the large bed by the back wall. There was a single cushioned chair in the corner by the door and a low chest of drawers on the other side of the room. And much like the rest of the rooms, the two remaining walls were all glass.

I felt Warren's eyes on me as I crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, my eyes travelling straight to the glass walls and the forest further on. I couldn't help but imagine Warren as a toddler, running around amongst the trees with Michelle hot on his heels, making sure he didn't trip over a root or loose rock. "You must have had so much fun out here as a kid," I said, glancing over at where he still stood by the doors.

He smiled wistfully. "I did. At least, from what I can remember." He gazed out the window for a moment before looking back to me. "It's been a long time."

My chest constricted at the innocence in his eyes as he thought back on his childhood, when things were simple and you didn't have a care in the world. He'd been through a lot in his eighteen years and yet here he was, standing before me as a beautiful, gentle young man whom I loved with everything I had. And tonight? Tonight I would show him.

My cheeks flushed at the thought and I looked down at the bag in my lap before unzipping it and rummaging around for my phone. "Um, I should probably call home," I said, trying to shake off the butterflies in my stomach. "Let them know we got here okay."

Warren was watching me curiously when I looked up at him again, his brows furrowed over his dark eyes. "Yeah, good idea," he said after a moment. "It's getting late. Did you want to have something for dinner soon?"

I nodded. "Sure. I'll have a look at what's in the kitchen and see if I can whip up something simple."

"Sounds like a plan," he said and we descended into silence. I shifted on the bed before rising to my feet. Why were we being so awkward around each other? I couldn't remember a time when silence between us had been quite so uncomfortable. "Well, um… I'll go call my mum. Just yell if you need anything." He gave me a small, somewhat shaky smile and left the room, his fingers dipping into the pocket of his jeans for his phone.

As soon as he was out of earshot I dropped my head into my free hand and sighed._ That was all kinds of awkward._

'_This is a big step you're taking,' _L said, speaking for the first time since we got here. _'It's no surprise there's a little bit of tension between the two of you.'_

'**Everyone's nervous before their first time,' **D added. **'Even the hotheaded, broody Warren Peace.'**

_He's not broody._

'**He can be.'**

'_She has a point.'_

I laughed weakly and left the room, wandering slowly down to the kitchen as I dialed my home number, not bothering to scroll through my contacts. _You really think it'll be okay? _I asked as the rhythmic ringing of a connecting call echoed in my ear.

'_Absolutely. You just need to take a deep breath and relax. Try and reconnect a bit over dinner, too, if you're that worried.'_

'**Guys are always happier with a full stomach.'**

I closed my eyes for a moment, smiling to myself as mum picked up the phone and spoke into the receiver. As I had anticipated, I spent the next five minutes describing the interior of the house as she 'ooh'd and ahh'd' at random intervals. Her cover job as a realtor gave her a real fascination with interior design, and from what I could tell she very much approved of where I was currently staying.

While mum told me about their plans to have Michelle over for dinner I couldn't help but wander over to the kitchen window and look out at where Warren stood on the balcony. He was half turned away from me, his phone to his ear as he gazed out at the trees. As I watched he ended the call and instead of putting his phone back in his pocket, dialed another number and lifted it back to his ear. When whoever he was calling answered the phone he turned back to the house with a smile on his face that grew soft and tender when he spotted me in the window. I pointed to my phone and rolled my eyes before smiling back at him and turning away to give him some privacy.

It was almost as if mum had seen my gesture for she laughed somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry, sweetheart. Here I am talking your ear off when you and Warren probably want to relax and just enjoy each other's company. I should get going anyway, I need to drop by the store and pick up a few things for dinner."

After a promise to call again in a few days time and to pass her love on to Warren, I ended the call and set my phone down on the counter before opening the fridge door to rummage around for something to cook. When Warren came back inside I was in the middle of making a simple sauce to go with the ravioli that was currently cooking in a saucepan full of boiling water.

He took a deep breath through his nose and came to stand behind me, his hands moving to my hips as I grated a small block of cheese. "It smells good in here," he murmured into my hair.

"I'm glad you think so," I replied, pausing for a moment to lean back into him. "I thought I'd keep it simple for tonight, although there's plenty of cool stuff for me to work with while we're here."

He hummed tonelessly. "We've got enough food to last us a little over a week, if you decide you want to stay that long."

I smiled to myself. An entire week here?

Hell. Yes.

"So, you were out there for a while," I said and motioned to the balcony. "Feeling chatty?"

He chuckled. "I suppose so. After I got off the phone with mum I actually called Will."

I blinked. I hadn't been expecting that. "Will? What for?" I set the cheese down and turned in his arms, not liking the fact that I couldn't see his face as he spoke.

He gave me a small smile when I met his eyes. "I just needed someone to help me relax and get my head back on my shoulders."

Oh. _Oh. _

Of course. Like the girls said, I wasn't the only one who was feeling nervous, and while I had them to talk to about it, who did Warren have? I don't think any teenage boy wanted to have a sex-related conversation with his mother. Will was his best friend, so it was only normal that he should turn to him for guidance and to essentially talk him down from the proverbial ledge.

'**I told you so.'**

I exhaled a quick, breathy laugh that was aimed more at myself than anyone else and buried my face in Warren's chest. "I'm sorry for not realizing sooner," I mumbled against his shirt as his arms wrapped tight around me. "I thought it was just me dealing with the pre-bedroom jitters."

He kissed the top of my head rested his chin there. "There's nothing wrong with being nervous. Mum used to say that being nervous means you're ready." He leaned back to look at me. "I'm ready for this, Jamie. And even though we're nervous, I know it'll be…"

"Everything," I finished for him.

His eyes warmed my body from the inside out. "Exactly." He bent down to kiss me before peeking over my shoulder at my slightly messy work station. "So, what can I do to help?"

x-X-x

Half an hour later, Warren and I were relaxing on one of the couches in the lounge room, listening to one of the many playlists on my iPod while I whined about how I ate too much. It had taken a bit longer than normal to finish cooking dinner, which was mainly Warren's fault; he ate half the cheese I made him grate and then continuously distracted me from what I was doing with heavy kisses that ended up with my back against the counter.

And while the knowledge of what would happen later in the evening never left my mind, I pushed it aside and focused solely on Warren and what he had to say. We spoke for hours about the events of the last few weeks: exams, saying our goodbyes to our beloved high school, cleaning out our lockers, Layla's constant photo taking, and more than anything, graduation.

I heaved a sigh and stretched out on the couch, putting my feet in Warren's lap and laughing when he playfully shoved them away. "I still can't believe we're finished with high school. It shouldn't be this hard to wrap my head around, but it's crazy. Twelve years of school, done and dusted." I shook my head and glanced outside; it was pitch black, the glow of the moon filtering through the canopy of leaves and casting mismatched patterns on the forest floor. "Who knows what's next?"

Warren hesitated a moment and I didn't miss the way the muscle in his jaw twitched at my words. Huh. I knew there was something on his mind and that it had been there for a while, but I had resolved not to pester him about it. I just hoped he wouldn't bottle it up for so long that it bursts out when he least expects it. But, then again, this was Warren. As I watched, he seemed to shake off whatever thought was troubling him and turned to me with intense eyes. "I think I know what's going to happen next," he said in a voice that rolled over me in waves and made my stomach flutter.

"Oh really?" I asked, all thoughts that didn't revolve around the expression currently on his face flying from my mind. "And what's that?"

He leaned forward, wrapping his long fingers around the back of my neck to bring my face closer to his. My heart raced at the feel of his breath on my lips. "Well, I'm going to go and have a shower and then I think I might go to bed."

I swallowed. This was it.

"Bed?" I squeaked.

"Mhmm," he hummed and caught my lips in a searing kiss. Despite the bravado he was currently displaying, the slight tremble of his fingers against my neck and the short breaths he took in between kisses betrayed his nerves. I took his face in my hands and kissed him hard, glad to know I wasn't alone.

He moaned against my lips and pulled back before we could get carried away. "Easy, baby," he said, his voice low and just a little shaky. I felt a brief surge of pride, knowing I did that to him. "We have all night."

"I know," I said and shoved him playfully away from me. "Go on, then. Get in the shower, and hurry up. You're not the only one who wants to be nice and clean."

He chuckled and kissed me again before rising from the couch and walking – with a noticeable spring in his step – from the room. As soon as he was out of sight I flopped back onto the cushions and sighed.

_Is it wrong that I want to run flailing and screaming around the house? _I asked the girls, trying to ignore the steady build of energy making its way through my body. Usually when this happened I retreated to the gym in the Sanctum, but there was no gym out here and I didn't really want to go knocking down trees just to tire myself out. _Someone talk me down._

'_You'll be fine,' _L soothed. _'A shower will help to calm you down. In the meantime, why not find something to do to distract yourself?'_

After a bit of aimless wandering I ended up back in the kitchen, washing all the bowls, pots and pans and other utensils that we used for dinner. It didn't take me long and soon I was back to having nothing to do.

I frowned and hoisted myself up onto the kitchen counter, watching my feet as they swung back and forth in the air. The sound of water moving through the pipes filled the otherwise silent house and I closed my eyes to listen further out. I could hear crickets chirping through one of the open windows and a low breeze that rustled the leaves in its way; and then, if I really concentrated, I could hear the low sounds of an owl calling to the moon.

_Layla would love it out here, _I thought to myself before my eyes snapped open and I sat up straight. It had been mentioned earlier in the day, but I had completely forgotten that Layla and Maj had packed my bags for the trip here. And while they were two of my best friends, they were also two of the most mischievous people I'd ever met in my life.

I made it down to the bedroom in three seconds flat, almost skidding into the wall as I stumbled to a halt and reached for the handle of the glass door. My eyes locked on the simple black suitcase on the floor at the end of the bed and I gulped.

'**Dun dun duuun,' **D teased.

I inched toward the bag like a stranger might approach an easily startled animal. I knew the bag was harmless, but I was scared silly of what I might find inside. Then again, they knew what this time alone meant to me, so hopefully they decided to play nice.

Kneeling down on the floor I reached for the zip and carefully pulled it open before flipping the lid up and gazing inside. I exhaled in relief when I spotted my regular clothes folded into two neat piles with my toiletries in a small bag tucked into a space on the side. I sat back on my heels and was about to close the lid back down when I spotted a flash of pink under one of my shirts. My brows furrowed; I didn't have any pink clothes that I knew of.

'_That doesn't look like clothing to me,' _L murmured as I grabbed the sliver of pink sticking out from under the shirt and pulled it free.

She was right; it wasn't clothing.

It was a Victoria's Secret bag.

I sat there, stunned, staring at the pink striped bag with wide eyes and an open mouth. I certainly hadn't been expecting this. There was a small tag with writing on it hanging off one of the straps but as I reached for it the shower turned off and the sound of feet crossing the tiled floor in the next room over reached my ears.

'**Hide the bag! Hide the bag! This is not a drill!'**

L snorted as I rushed to zip the bag again. _'What do you mean, hide the bag? If it was up to you, she'd be waving the contents in his face saying "Look what I've got!"'_

'**What's your point?'**

'_My point is that you're a moron.'_

_Girls! _I yelled so loud that they fell silent for a moment. Rising to my feet I stepped away from the bed and hid the Victoria's Secret bag behind my back, watching Warren's warped outline through the door as he left the bathroom. _What the hell should I do?_

Instead of being helpful, D started singing Marvin Gaye's _Let's Get It On _which then made L start laughing, so it looked like I was on my own. Instead of flailing like I wanted to do, I took a deep breath, relaxed my shoulders and tried to look nonchalant as the door opened and Warren walked in.

With nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Hey," he said when he spotted me standing somewhat awkwardly in the middle of the room. "Everything okay?"

I tried not to get distracted by the water droplets glistening on his chest, or by the way his damp hair hung around his face and stuck to his neck, or by how low the towel was sitting…

"Jamie?"

My head snapped up and I blushed, making sure my eyes stayed on his. Behind my back my hand clenched tight around the bag strap. "Everything's fine," I replied. "Are you done in the bathroom?"

He nodded, watching me with an amused smile on his face. "There's a towel in there for you already."

"Thanks." I walked quickly towards the door, subtly angling my body so that he couldn't see the bag behind my back. "Um, I won't be long."

"Take your time," he said, chuckling to himself as I darted out of the room and across the hall to the bathroom. It was still a little steamy from when Warren had showered and I lifted my hair from my neck as my skin prickled from the leftover heat.

'_Uh, Jamie?' _L began as I placed the bag on the counter and stepped away. _'Aren't you forgetting something?'_

I took a moment to think before spinning on my heel and jogging back to the bedroom. "Warren!" I called once I reached the door, tapping lightly with my knuckles and trying not to peek in at him.

"Yeah?" he replied and I saw his outline – still wrapped in the towel – come up to the other side of the door.

"Can you grab my toiletry bag?" I asked. "I forgot to bring it with me."

"Is it in your case?"

"Yep." I bounced on the balls of my feet while I waited, listening to the zip moving back and forth as Warren opened and closed the case before sliding the door open and smiling down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" he asked, handing me the small bag. "You seem a little out of it."

"I'm fine, I promise." I smiled and stretched up on my toes to kiss him. He smelled of soap and water and Warren. "I'll be back soon. Try not to have too much fun without me."

He rolled his eyes and as I turned, gave me a sharp smack on the butt. I squealed and turned to scold him – playfully, of course – but the door was already closed. I grumbled to myself as I walked back into the bathroom, the sound of Warren's laughter floating through the house.

x-X-x

Half an hour later I stepped out of the shower all fresh and smelling of my favourite fruity body wash, courtesy of Layla and Maj who had thought to pack me a travel-sized bottle. It turns out that a shower was exactly what I needed; I felt calm and relaxed and ready to take on anything.

Even that goddamn Victoria's Secret bag.

I'll admit I stalled a little, brushing my teeth and drying my hair somewhat fanatically before, still wrapped in the towel, I pinched a corner of the bag between two fingers and dragged it over the counter to where I stood.

The girls were silent, waiting for me to make the first move which, truth be told, took a few minutes. In the end I flipped over the card on the strap and leaned in to read it.

_Jamie,_

_Don't be mad, but we sneakily went out and bought these for you. You're welcome._

_Love,_

_Layla and Maj xx_

I smiled down at the card and shook my head. "So far so good," I murmured as I let the card go and opened the bag. "Now, let's see what the damage is."

In all honesty it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. That's not to say that they didn't get me some pretty bold outfits in an assortment of colours: green, purple, white, red, black and blue. And we weren't just talking bras and underwear; there were babydolls and slips and things that I didn't even know what to call, as well as a few things I knew I wouldn't be wearing anytime soon.

'**So,' **D began as I continued to rummage through the bag, my earlier anxiousness all but gone. **'Which one are you going to wear?'**

I pursed my lips and slid my hands over the various fabrics. _You really think Warren will like this stuff?_

'**Of course he will. He's a guy.'**

I closed my fingers around a piece of thin white material and lifted it free, holding it out at arm's length to better examine it. _I think I'll go with this one._

'_Good choice,' _L agreed. _'It's only your first night together. You don't want to give the poor boy a heart attack.'_

'**White?' **D complained. **'How virginal.'**

I quirked a brow at my reflection in the slightly fogged mirror. _Isn't that the point?_

'**Well, yeah. But still, you're no fun.'**

'_Oh, give the girl a break, you big bully.' _L chuckled to herself as I set the garment down and hunted for the matching underwear.

"Thanks, L," I said, dropping the towel and quickly pulling the underwear on. "At least someone's being supportive."

'**I can be supportive! I just think white is boring.'**

'_Oh, go grumble somewhere else.'_

"Do you think you two could set your comments aside for a moment and help me out here?" I asked, choosing to speak out loud as I slipped the garment over my head and adjusted the straps over my shoulders. "How do I look?"

The simple white babydoll stopped just below the tops of my thighs with a satin trim and bow between the star embellished cups. The straps were thin and the neckline was a plunging V that showed just enough cleavage without being too overwhelming or inappropriate. Apart from the cups, the rest of the material was sheer and flowed delicately over my skin, soft to the touch and absolutely beautiful.

'**You look stunning,' **D said, much to my surprise. **'Warren isn't going to know what hit him.'**

'_She's right. It's perfect on you.'_

I let out a heavy breath and smiled at my reflection. My cheeks were flushed and my eyes were bright, but my smile was ridiculously giddy. Despite how much I had panicked and flailed and fretted, I knew deep down that I was ready. God, I was ready.

With one last look in the mirror I turned and crossed the room, the tiles cool against my bare feet. I turned the bathroom light off as I left the room and realized that the entire house was shrouded in darkness, lit only by the moon that cast shadows along the walls. My heart raced.

_Here goes nothing, _I thought as I closed my fingers around the handle of the bedroom door and slid it open.

Warren was perched on the edge of the bed with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his clasped hands as he gazed out the window. The moonlight played over his face and chest, casting some of his features in shadow and highlighting others. I took a moment to watch him before I realized he was in nothing but a pair of grey boxer briefs. My low gasp broke the silence and he turned to look at me.

His eyes widened as he gazed at what I was wearing and I felt my body grow warm; his gaze was heavy and wanting and I watched as he rose from the bed and faced me fully. Without a word he held out his hand, his eyes following my every move as I crossed the room and slipped my hand into his.

"God, Jamie," he breathed, his voice strained. I put my free hand on his chest and smiled a little. "You look so beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so." His eyes swooped down the length of my body again and I laughed. "If you really want to, you can always thank Layla and Magenta when we get home."

He blinked in confusion. "Why would I do that?"

"They bought this for me," I explained without really paying much attention to my words. I was too distracted by the way his eyes continuously moved to my lips. "There's more, but I'll save those for later."

"Uh huh," he murmured. "In the meantime, no more talk of our friends. My only focus is you."

And then he kissed me.

There was little in the world better than his kiss and soon I was drowning in it, in the warmth of his body as he wrapped an arm around me and raised his hand to cup my face, his fingertips sinking into my hair. I whimpered and leaned into him, parting my lips and touching his tongue with my own as it slid into my mouth. He shuddered and gripped the material at my back in his fist before pulling me tight to his body. As our bodies aligned I felt a familiar hardness against my stomach and smiled.

It seemed as though, like me, Warren was ready too.

Slowly, carefully, Warren walked us back toward the bed. My hands slid up his back, over his shoulders and down the hard muscles of his chest and stomach. He released a ragged gasp against my mouth as I dragged my nails over his abs, feeling the muscles tremble and contract under my touch. I felt a rush of power, of courage, knowing that I could do this to him.

Breaking away from my lips, Warren kissed his way down my neck and nipped gently at my shoulder. Goosebumps rose on my skin at the feel of his teeth and I released a low growl against his ear. "I want you," he whispered.

My eyes closed at his words and I slipped a hand into his hair, enjoying the feel of the soft strands as they slid through my fingers like silk. Warren hummed against my skin and I had only a moments warning before he grabbed my hips and pulled me up into his arms. My hand tightened in his hair and I locked my other arm around his shoulder as he turned around and walked backwards the rest of the way to the bed.

Our lips met again as Warren settled on the edge of the bed with me in his lap and we both made desperate sounds of pleasure as our hips pressed firmly together. I shuddered in his arms and threw myself into the kiss, focusing on the hot slide of his tongue to try and stop myself from rocking against him. Warren, sensing my struggle, broke the kiss and leaned back to smile at me. "You don't have to hold back, Jamie," he said, but his voice was rough with strain.

"I know." I traced my fingers over the muscles in his shoulders and leaned in to kiss him again. "But I don't want to rush this."

He nodded in understanding and reached up to trace my lips with the tips of his fingers. Our eyes locked and never strayed as I kissed each finger before wrapping my fingers around his wrist and kissing the palm of his hand. His smile grew and he pulled me closer – if that was even possible – to kiss me again.

We kissed for what felt like hours, but soon anticipation and eagerness won out over nerves and uncertainty and I felt the warmth of Warren's fingers through the sheer material against my back as they slid down to the satin hem of my babydoll. "Is this okay?" he asked roughly against my lips. I nodded and leaned back, raising my arms above my head as he gripped the hem with both hands and gently pulled the garment up and over my head before throwing it to the floor. He watched my face for a moment before lowering his eyes to my bare torso, his throat contracting with a heavy swallow.

He had seen my naked body dozens of times, but there was something about tonight that made everything feel brand new.

"Beautiful," he whispered and leaned down to kiss the soft swells of my exposed breasts. I gasped at the warmth of his lips and my head fell back as he took a nipple into his mouth. "So beautiful."

"Warren," I breathed, unable to do anything but sit there and hold him as he kissed his way from my chest to my lips, his fingers running up and down the length of my spine. "Let me touch you."

He paused for the shortest of seconds before scooting up the mattress – with me still in his lap I might add – until he could rest his head on the pillows. I smiled down at his body stretched out before me and released a long breath through my nose to calm the fluttering in my stomach. When a minute passed and I still didn't move, Warren spoke. "Is something wrong?"

I bit down on my bottom lip and met his eyes in the partial darkness. "I don't know where to start," I admitted quietly.

His soft laughter filled the otherwise quiet room and my heart swelled at the sound. "Start wherever you want to," he told me, stretching an arm out to stroke my hip bone with the pad of his thumb. "There's no right or wrong here, baby."

Comforted by his words, I took a deep breath and placed my hands on his stomach. The muscles there were hard against my palms, covered by a layer of smooth, perfect skin. As my hands roamed, my body began to run on instinct and soon I was bent over him, my lips following the trail my hands made over his skin. I could hear him gasping and moaning and my lips curled over the skin of his heart. "You okay?" I asked, tilting my head up to look at him. He had his head angled down so that he could watch me explore the body I knew as well as my own. His eyes were blazing with desire and his skin was several degrees warmer than normal.

"I'm fine," he replied breathlessly. "Although I think that's enough teasing for now."

I raised my eyebrows and was about to ask him to elaborate when grabbed my hips and rolled me over so that he hovered above me, all cheeky smiles and triumphant eyes. I scrunched my nose up at him and giggled, grabbing his face and pulling him down for a kiss. His lips were warm and soft and not there for nearly as long as I wanted before he was moving away and down the length of my body. "Where on earth are you going?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbows to watch him. My already slightly tangled hair fell around my face and over my shoulders and I blew a lock out of my eyes as he kissed down my stomach and paused at my hips.

Warren glanced up at me and mouthed 'okay?' as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of my underwear. I swallowed against the nerves in my throat and nodded, my skin flushed with desire and anticipation. With a little nod, almost to himself, he rose up onto his knees and slowly, gently, pulled the material down my legs where it joined the babydoll on the floor.

And just like that I was naked. And Warren was not. And yet I didn't feel uncomfortable, or awkward, or even scared. The way he was looking at me made me feel bold and beautiful and like there was absolutely nothing else that mattered in the world to him apart from this.

"My God," he breathed. "Look at you."

I held my arms out for him, eager to feel his bare skin against mine, but instead he rose from the bed and stood at the edge, the moonlight casting its shadows over his shoulders. I watched him silently, my eyes following his hands as they moved to his hips and his fingers hooked into the waistband of his underwear. In a single, fluid movement they were gone and he was crawling over me, his breaths hot and shaky on my skin.

He stopped when we were nose to nose, our lips brushing gently but without the pressure of a kiss. His eyes were open and locked on mine and when he moved his hips I could feel him, hard and warm against my inner thigh. The world fell away as we lay there, about to take one of the biggest steps of our relationship – and I felt absolutely nothing but unconditional love for the man above me.

Warren, as though sharing my thoughts, smiled gently and kissed me softly on the mouth. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too." I relaxed against the pillows and brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes.

He exhaled and, using the arm that wasn't braced against the mattress beside my head, slid his hand down my body and gently touched his fingers to the slick skin between my thighs.

"Oh…" I breathed out, my eyes closing at the exquisite pressure of his fingers against where I was aching and ready for him. He traced a slow circle around my clit and I let out a low moan against his lips. "Warren, please," I begged, my legs trembling on either side of his hips. "I can't wait anymore. _Please._"

Warren removed his hand and a moment later I felt the hardness of him pressed against my wet flesh, nudging, stroking. _Wanting. _He paused for a moment to gather himself and then, with another soft kiss, he shifted his hips and eased himself inside me.

I had heard about girls experiencing sharp pain and even bleeding when they had sex for the first time, but I felt nothing more than a slight build of pressure and then a dull ache and it was over. While it wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected, it still wasn't a pleasant sensation and I was more than grateful when it faded.

Warren on the other hand seemed to be doing just fine. His hands were clenched into fists on either side of my head and his forehead was pressed firmly against mine as he pushed the rest of the way inside me and stopped. With the ache gone I was able to focus completely on the feel of him inside me and felt tears sting my eyes. No, not tears of pain or fear, tears of absolute _joy._ We had been waiting for this moment for years and finally, _finally_ we were here and it was more than I ever could have imagined. The feel of him inside me, against me, around me, absolutely everywhere… was perfect.

"Jamie," he gasped, his body rippling with tiny trembles. "Are you okay?"

I smiled and his eyes widened as a tear slid down my cheek. "I'm fine, I promise." He looked uncertain and I arched my neck to kiss him. His lips shook against mine. "Move in me," I whispered. "Please."

With a desperate groan, he surrendered and began to move, sliding back and forth inside me. I pushed my head back into the pillows and moaned, unprepared for the wave of sensation that crashed over me and made my body strain towards his, my hands clutching at his back as we established a rhythm.

The muscles in his back and shoulders rippled under my hands as he thrust inside me, his breathing fast and frantic against my mouth. I kissed him deeply and rolled my hips in small circles against his, shuddering as his lips parted and he moaned into my mouth, breaking away from my lips to bury his face in my neck.

"God, Warren," I gasped, locking my legs around his waist and pushing up to meet his quickening thrusts. I struggled to keep my eyes open and lost, instead squeezing them shut and clinging to him with everything I had. He could never be close enough.

A light sheen of sweat began to build on our skin as we pushed and pulled against each other, our hips rocking fast and then slow, deep and shallow. It was as though he knew just what to do to make me moan and cry and tremble and plead for release. He dropped his head down to my chest and took a nipple into his mouth and I arched below him, feeling a pressure begin to build in my stomach. It took me a moment to figure out what it was and when I did I gasped and my eyes flew to his in total surprise. I hadn't expected this to happen my first time, and yet…

Warren watched me through heavy lidded eyes, his lips parted as he stared at me. It took him a moment, but when he realized what my expression meant he let out a loud, desperate groan and thrust deeply inside me, his hips shifting to strike a spot that made me cry out and bury my face in his shoulder.

"Warren," I breathed against his burning skin. "I think… holy shit… I think I'm going to…"

"God, Jamie, please," he begged, sliding a hand back down to where we were joined. My legs began to tremble as he traced urgent circles around my clit, rubbing and sliding in an effort to make me climax. My hair stuck to my back as I curled into him, my nails digging into his shoulders as the coil wound tighter and tighter and tighter. Warren felt my muscles begin to clench around him and growled into my neck. "I can't," he gasped. "I'm so close, baby, please. Cum for me."

And with one more circle of his fingers around my clit, the coil snapped and I arched up into his arms, my head thrown back as my body exploded with pleasure. A white hot fire spread from where we were joined, up my torso and down my legs and arms. The contracting ripples of my orgasm pulled Warren over the edge and he thrust once, twice and then stilled, pulsing inside me as he gasped for breath and shuddered against me.

It felt like forever before my body relaxed, coming down from the high of my orgasm, and I slumped against the mattress, my chest heaving as I struggled to get enough air into my lungs. Warren was a heavy weight against me and I wrapped my arms tight around him and pulled his face to mine to kiss him. His skin was damp and salty with sweat but I didn't care, and it seemed he didn't either for he kissed me with wild abandon. We pulled away quickly, still short of breath.

"That was…" he began and stopped, shaking his head. "I wish I had the words to describe that."

I smiled and gazed into his warm brown eyes that told me everything he didn't have the words for. "I know exactly what you mean."

He smiled and kissed me again before rolling to the side and pulling me into his arms. We eventually made our way under the blanket and before I knew it I was drifting off to sleep with my head on his chest and the steady beat of his heart against my ear. The last thing I heard before I fell into darkness was Warren's soft voice telling me how much he loved me.

* * *

**Still with me?**

**This was another big chapter for me and was probably the one I spent the most time on. I've been building up to this moment for years and really wanted to make it worth the wait, while also making it the first time that Jamie and Warren deserved. And if Anna's reaction is anything to go by, I think I've managed to do both.**

**From here on out, there will be some swearing and lots of sexual references. I know most of you will be fine with that, but I just wanted to pre-warn you :)**

**Photos of the summer house and Jamie's babydoll are now in the photo gallery.**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts - even if they're dirty ;)**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	7. What I've Been Living For

**The response to the last chapter was unreal :) I'm glad you all enjoyed it so much.**

**I know it wasn't mentioned, but they were being safe. Jamie's on the Pill.**

**So, are you ready for some more summer house fun?**

**Disclaimer: ********************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Seven  
What I've Been Living For**_

The call of the early birds roused me from my slumber the next morning and my eyes fluttered open, fixing on the morning sun as it slanted in through the windows. My lips curled up into a weary yet incredibly blissful smile and I let out a low sigh as I arched my back and stretched a little, careful not to wake the man who slept beside me.

As I rolled over onto my stomach the memories of the night before flooded my mind and I felt my cheeks flush as I let the sun warm my bare back. I don't think anything could have prepared me for how perfect making love to Warren would be, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to do it again. I could still feel the ghost of his fingers on my hips and the warmth of his lips on mine. I raised my fingers to my mouth with a small smile.

Warren's face was smooth and relaxed with sleep and I took a moment to admire him. His hair was twisted around his face and his lips were slightly puckered; I could see a hint of stubble on his neck and jaw and fought the urge to run my fingers over it. As beautiful as he looked and as much as I wanted to kiss him and feel his arms around me again, I didn't want to wake him.

'**You're such a creeper, staring at people while they sleep.'**

I smiled and laughed quietly under my breath as the familiar voice echoed inside my head. _Good morning to you, too, _I replied as I rolled over again and slid off the bed, careful not to jostle the mattress too much. As I stood, I felt a gentle ache between my legs and grimaced. I suppose I couldn't help being a little sore.

'_How are you feeling today?' _L asked as I crossed the room – stepping over discarded items of clothing along the way – and slid the door open.

_Wonderful, _I told her as I hesitated in the doorway before turning to lean against the frame and admire Warren a little more. He looked lonely in that big bed all by himself, but god, he looked absolutely mouthwatering at the same time; rumpled and gorgeous with the sheets resting over his hips, leaving his chest and stomach bare for me to ogle.

I briefly contemplated getting back into bed, but I felt sticky and yuck with the remnants of sleep. No, I needed to shower. So with one last look at him I stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind me.

Steam filled the room and curled around my body as I stood in the middle of the large bathroom, staring at my reflection in the mirror and turning from side to side. Did I look different? Was there something about me that had changed overnight, something that showed I was no longer a virgin? I didn't feel different. I felt relaxed and sated and there was a glow to my skin that hadn't been there last night. But other than that? Nothing.

'**Hey, check it out!' **D cried. **'You have bruises on your hips.'**

_I do? _I looked down at my hips in the mirror and made a small noise of surprise in the back of my throat. There, on both hips, were five round bruises – the exact shape of the pads of Warren's fingers. My body grew warm as I recalled the way he had held me last night, his hands tight around my hips, his fingers pushing into my skin and from what I could now see, bruising.

'**Now those,' **she continued, a hint of pride in her voice, **'are well earned battle scars.'**

The sky had lightened a bit more by the time I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy towel and humming to myself. I had expected Warren to still be fast asleep on the bed, but he wasn't. Instead I was met with the sight of a freshly made bed and clean floor; the clothes that had been there when I woke up were now nowhere to be seen. I suspected they had been taken to the laundry.

'_Is he usually this neat?' _L asked as I knelt down in front of my case with the Victoria's Secret bag hanging from my arm. I figured it'd be safer back in my case and not sitting out in the open for Warren to rummage through.

I smiled to myself as I rummaged through the piles of clothes. _Not this early in the morning. _My stomach clenched in excitement at knowing he was awake and somewhere in the house. I know I had been curled up in bed with him not half an hour ago, but I missed him already. After what we had shared with each other I felt a persistent urge to just be around him. I had asked D about it while I showered and she deduced it to an animalistic urge to be around your mate after you gave yourself to them. Whether that was true or not, I didn't care. I just wanted to see him.

I dressed in a simple yellow sundress and pulled my hair up into a twist before making my way down the hall in search of my boyfriend. I could hear movement in the kitchen and slowed as I reached the end of the hall, peeking around the corner to sneakily see what he was up to.

He had his back to me so I couldn't see the expression on his face, but that didn't mean I was unhappy with the view I had. He was mixing something in a large bowl and I watched as the muscles in his back and shoulders shifted and tensed as he worked. Looking closer, I noticed that he had little red marks on his skin in the shape of crescent moons… or fingernails.

_Looks like he wasn't the only one who ended up with battle scars, _I thought to myself as I watched him work, my eyes following his lean body as he moved from the counter over to the frying pan on the stovetop. He hummed along to the music drifting quietly from the speakers in the living room as he poured the familiar looking batter into the pan, the sharp crack and sizzle breaking the otherwise peaceful noises of the morning.

When he turned away again I stepped out of my hiding place and tip toed across the kitchen until I stood behind him. His breath hitched when he felt my arms slide around his torso and I smiled as I pressed a kiss to the back of his right shoulder. "Good morning," I said against his warm skin.

He dropped a hand from the mixing bowl and placed it over the ones I held against his stomach. "Morning," he replied, his fingers twisting with mine. "I didn't hear you come in."

"That's because I was being sneaky," I told him, leaning back to smile up at him as he turned around. His eyes were dark and soft, swimming with bliss that he couldn't have hidden if he tried, and I doubt he wanted to. "Hi," I whispered, feeling the tension that had settled in my stomach the moment I left the bed begin to ease.

He smiled. "Hi," he breathed and cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. I sighed into his mouth and threw my arms around his neck, our touches now ones of blissful happiness instead of desire. I fell and spun and drowned in the kiss and made a small whining noise when he pulled away to gaze down at me. "How are you?"

I didn't have to ask to know what he meant. "Perfect," I sighed and stepped into his welcome embrace. He tightened his arms around me and rested his chin atop my head. "There's a bit of soreness, but that was expected." I felt him nod and pressed a kiss to the skin over his heart. "What about you?"

"Me?" He chuckled and the sound was like music. "I'm great. I can't remember the last time I felt so relaxed. Last night was…" he trailed off and I looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Yeah, it was." I brushed my fingers down his cheek and felt my heart swell. "I love you."

His eyes melted me. "I love you, too," he said, wrapping his fingers around my wrist and pulling my hand to his mouth. I went to speak again but the smell of burnt batter reached my nose and I turned to investigate as Warren drew in a sharp breath. "Shit," he growled and let me go, grabbing the spatula from the bench and hurrying over to the stove where he flipped the pancake over before it could be burnt and rendered completely inedible. "I forgot that I was cooking."

I laughed and hoisted myself up onto the counter beside him, watching as he made breakfast. "When was the last time you made pancakes?" I asked, kissing his shoulder when it was close enough for me to do so.

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and smiled. "It's been a while. They're nowhere near as good as your mother's, but they'll have to do."

I breathed in deep through my nose and beamed. "They smell good."

"I should hope so," he said, removing the now cooked pancake with the flat of the spatula and placing it on top of a delicious looking pile. I watched as he cooked a few more, using up the last of the batter before placing his dishes in the sink to be washed once we had eaten. "There. All done." He stepped up to where I still sat on the counter and my legs parted on either side of his hips. I hummed against his mouth as he kissed me. "Do you want to get the maple syrup for me?"

"Sure," I said, hopping down from the counter and making my way over to the pantry. It didn't take me long to find what I was looking for and I quickly joined Warren at the table, kissing him on the cheek as he handed me a plate with two pancakes on it. I couldn't help but wriggle in my seat as I put butter on them and then drizzled the maple syrup on top.

"Nice?" he asked as I swallowed my first bite.

I nodded and cut another piece. "Very nice; my compliments to the chef," I said and gave him a little wink.

He shook his head at me, smiling peacefully. We ate in silence for a few minutes, enjoying our breakfast and listening to the music that continued to play. I felt a warm pressure against my foot and paused mid-chew to glance at Warren who was still smiling down at his plate. His toes grazed my ankle and my skin erupted with goose bumps.

"So," I began, shifting my other foot to trap his against my leg. "What do you want to do today?"

He laughed. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

x-X-x

The next few days flew by in a blur of absolute perfection. Some days we were out in the forest from dawn until dusk, others we never even left the bed. We made love over and over again that second night, falling asleep in the early hours of the morning after finally satisfying our constantly growing need for each other. We were rough and we were gentle and it was never short of mind blowing.

One particular afternoon we were curled up together on the couch watching Avatar after I spent ten minutes rummaging through the DVDs Warren had brought; he wasn't surprised in the slightest when I chose the two and a half hour movie. It was one of my absolute favourites.

"Would you judge me if I said I find Jake's avatar attractive?" I asked as the movie finished and the credits began to roll.

Warren looked down at me with his eyebrows raised. "I didn't know you were into ten foot, blue skinned guys with tails."

"I'm not," I argued, narrowing my eyes as a smirk began to twist his lips. "But there's just something about him that I find really attractive for some reason. I don't know why. What about you? You don't think Neytiri is pretty? Or any other women in Hollywood for that matter?"

"Of course," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "When I was younger I would have given my left nut to go out with some of the women in Hollywood." I pulled a face and he grimaced. "Sorry. I probably could have been a bit more delicate about that."

"Probably," I agreed and reached down to pat his thigh. "And no talk of removing any body parts. I'm quite fond of them."

"Thank God for that," he laughed. "In all seriousness, while there are some beautiful women in the movie industry I couldn't care less. I have everything I need right here."

I smiled and pulled him up so that we sat nose to nose. "You took the words right out of my mouth." I paused a moment. "Well, minus the whole wanting to date female movie stars… although, there are –"

Warren's lips silenced my rambling and I groaned as he slid his tongue into my mouth. It didn't take us long to lose ourselves in each other and soon articles of clothing were being thrown in all directions.

We didn't even try and make it to the bedroom.

x-X-x

"Are you sure you don't need an extra pair of hands in there?" Warren asked from his place on the couch, turning his eyes from the pages of his book to look at me over in the kitchen.

I smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "Positive. You've helped me make dinner pretty much every night since we got here. I can handle one night on my own. You just relax and enjoy your book. Besides, I'm almost done."

And I was. I had been working at a steady pace for the last half hour, cooking the steaks after they had marinated and putting them in the oven to keep them warm while I mashed the potato and chopped up a quick salad. The house smelled absolutely amazing.

Warren shook his head with a low chuckle but nevertheless turned back to his book and continued reading. While there was a flat-screen TV here it was never on unless we wanted to watch a movie. Instead we plugged in an iPod or chose a CD from the stash beside the stereo and let the music play in the background as we went about our business. It was nice to know that we didn't need to resort to TV as a distraction from each other.

The last few days had got me thinking about what living with Warren full-time would be like. I couldn't imagine ever getting sick of having him around or falling asleep beside him every night – not that we didn't already do that. But like most couples, being around each other all the time probably meant that we'd argue more often, but that was part of the experience. That and we never stayed mad at each other for long. From what I could tell, living with Warren would be all kinds of wonderful.

I was pulled from my musings by the sound of silence and I looked up to see Warren rising from the couch and stretching his arms up over his head. My stomach clenched at the sliver of tanned skin that peeked out from under his shirt; I loved that I knew what that skin felt like under my fingers, my lips, pressed up against my own skin…

"iPod or another CD?"

My head snapped up and I blushed when I noticed Warren watching me with those cheeky, knowing eyes of his. "Pardon?"

He smiled. "The CD finished. Do you want me to choose another one or plug one of our iPod's in?" He held up the case for the Iron & Wine CD we had been listening to and I pursed my lips in thought.

"Another CD," I said and turned to retrieve the salad dressing from the fridge.

"Any requests?"

"Surprise me."

No less than ten seconds later did a new song begin to play. It took me a moment or two, but once I realized what I was listening to I whirled around to stare at Warren with wide eyes. He grinned at me.

"Frank Sinatra?" I asked, feeling a giddy smile spread across my face as the timeless voice began to sing _Fly Me to the Moon._

He nodded. "Mum used to play his music all the time when I was a kid. This song was always one of my favourites."

"It's a classic," I agreed, carrying a salad bowl over to my work bench. "I haven't heard this in forever."

As I scooped the salad into the bowl I noticed Warren making his way over to me from the corner of my eye. I playfully ignored him until he was standing directly behind me. "Is there something I can do for you, sir?" I teased.

He kissed my shoulder. "As a matter of fact, there is." With gentle hands he turned me to face him and stepped away before bending a little at the waist and offering me his hand. "May I have this dance, Miss Stronghold?"

I couldn't help but giggle at the playful joy on his face. He looked so happy; how could I say no? "Of course," I said and placed my hand in his as Frank reached the first chorus, letting him lead me to a free space in the middle of the living room.

He cupped my hip with his free hand and raised our joined hands to the side. "Ready?" he asked and when I nodded, began to lead me in a slow circle, the two of us swaying from side to side as we went.

_In other words,  
please be true_

_In other words,_  
_I love you_

"You know, for someone who was considered a mean, scary guy in high school, you're a good dancer," I said and he dipped me in response, smiling when I squealed in surprise.

"Mum taught me," he explained. "And I don't really see what my high school status has to do with my dancing abilities." He narrowed his eyes at me as we continued to sway. "You thought I was scary?"

I thought about it for a moment. "You know what? I don't think I ever thought that. I mean, sure, you made me a little nervous the first time I saw you, but I had a good reason for feeling that way." He shrugged his shoulders as if to say: _What can you do? _"But no, I was never scared of you."

"I'm glad," he said in a low voice. "And just for the record, I never hated you, even when I didn't know you. I was fascinated by you and despite what I had been told about your family, I wanted to get to know you. Thank God you gave me a chance."

I felt my eyes sting with the threat of tears and buried my face in the crook of his neck. "Stop it," I whined. "You're going to make me cry."

He chucked in my ear and rested his cheek against my hair. "I'm sorry, baby. But it's true. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know that, right?" I nodded, closing my eyes as the music swirled around us. "Good. I love you."

"I love you, too," I murmured against his neck and pressed a gentle kiss to his warm skin. We continued to dance in a circle and eventually Warren began to sing along with Frank's swoon-worthy crooning.

_Fill my heart with song  
Let me sing forever more_

_You are all I long for,  
all I worship  
and adore_

_In other words  
Please be true_

_In other words,  
In other words_

_I… love…  
You_

Warren released me as the song finished and the next one began to play, his smile relaxed and his eyes glowing with happiness. I smiled and stretched up to kiss him, relishing in the feel of his soft lips sliding over mine. His lids were heavy when I pulled away. "By the way, dinner's ready."

x-X-x

I nimbly picked my way through the forest while Warren stumbled and cursed his way along beside me. It was our last full day here before we left to go back home and I wanted to make the most of it; that and Warren needed a moment of freedom and relaxation to help clear his head.

When I had called home the night before the phone was eventually passed to Layla – who was pretty much always at our place – who excitedly informed me that she had received the first of her college responses. While there had been a rejection or two, she was positively giddy about the fact that she'd been accepted to a college in Seattle for a botany course she'd had her eye on for the last month. Magenta had also received a few acceptances of her own.

While I had been all kinds of excited for the two of them, Warren seemed a little hesitant in his response. I knew without a doubt that he was happy for them and it wasn't until later that I realized what the problem might be. If Layla and Maj were getting response letters then mine wouldn't be too far off. And while I didn't quite know what Warren's issue was with all of this, I was sure that had something to do with it.

So, to take his mind off things, I had woken him up ridiculously early the next morning and coerced him into walking through the forest with me until we found a good spot to watch the sunrise.

"You know I can hardly see a thing, right?" he said as I led him through the maze of trees. A light mist clung to the forest floor and parted around our legs as we passed through it. "I don't have your eyesight."

I laughed. "It's not like it's pitch black out here," I replied and turned my head to look at him. His eyes, long since adjusted to the darkness, were wide and searching, but I could tell he still had trouble finding his way. I, on the other hand, could see just fine, thanks to the girls. "The sun should be up soon. It's much lighter than it was five minutes ago."

He scoffed and squeezed my hand gently to let me know he was teasing. "Thanks. That makes me feel so much better."

We walked in silence for a little while, listening to the sounds of the waking morning and just enjoying each other's company. I stared up at the canopy of trees as we made our way through the forest and couldn't stop the mischievous idea that came to life inside my head.

'**Do it,' **D said without hesitation and I hid my laughter with a delicate cough.

_You only want it to happen because it involves you._

'**Well, yeah. But do it anyway.'**

_L, any words of wisdom?_

'_I'm afraid not,' _she replied. _'It all sounds like a hell of a lot of fun to me. In all honesty I'm a little bummed that I won't be able to have a turn. I'm not as easy to hide, after all.'_

'**That's what you get for having gigantic wings.'**

'_I could still kick your butt.'_

'**Keep telling yourself that.'**

_Honestly, can you two not go five minutes without bickering? _I asked, smiling to myself as I stepped over a tree root, being sure to warn Warren about it before he could trip. His fingers tightened gratefully around mine.

'**It's all in good fun.'**

_I know that, but still._

L laughed. _'All joking aside – well, sort of – if you're going to do this, I suggest you do it now before it becomes too light out.'_

_Right, _I thought and quickly tuned them out. Warren was still walking along beside me, eyes intent on the ground in an attempt to spot anything that might trip him in the dismal light. I took a deep breath and tried not to laugh at myself as I – using the oldest trick in the book – tugged on Warren's hand and pointed to the right. "Hey, what's that?" I asked and when he turned his head to look, let go of his hand and broke into a flat-out sprint.

I was a decent ten strides ahead of him when he gave chase, his laughter echoing through the forest behind me. Mid-step, I let D out of her confines and released a giddy cry into the air as her sharp, sinister and yet ridiculously cheeky energy rushed through my body. I didn't stop running as my hair turned black, my skin paled and my fangs slid free of their sheaths; my now black eyes flicked from left to right, looking for something to grab onto. The moment my fingers wrapped around a low hanging branch the forest behind me exploded with burning golden light.

"There you are," I heard him say and the sound of his feet thumping over the ground made me squeal with laughter.

"That's cheating!" I cried and swung myself up onto a higher branch before leaping forward and using the momentum to swing myself to the next tree. If I had tried this in my regular form I would have slipped and broken something by now, but D helped me stay steady as I swung and leaped from tree to tree. Warren was hot on my trail – pun intended – and when I figured he was far enough away, I dropped back to the ground and slipped behind the wide trunk of the nearest tree.

Warren ran straight past me before slowing to a walk and then stopping altogether. He flicked his wrists and the flames that had been licking up his arms quickly disappeared, leaving nothing but the scent of a campfire to show that they had existed at all. After a moment's hesitation I stepped out from behind the tree and crept toward him, each step passing soundlessly.

Until I stepped on a twig.

The soft _crack _was as loud as a gunshot in the otherwise silent forest and when Warren turned to investigate, I took three steps forward and lunged at him. One thing I had failed to notice was that he had actually stopped at the top of a gentle slope and when I slammed into him, he lost his balance and we went tumbling down the hill, laughing and clinging to each other as we rolled over and over and over again before hitting the level ground at the bottom. I ended up flat on my back with Warren grinning down at me, leaves and blades of grass tangled in his hair.

"Well," he said after a moment of silence. "That was fun."

I don't know if it was from the roll down the hill, the adrenaline left over from him chasing me or just being out here with him and having fun, but his words brought forth a bout of uncontrollable giggles that didn't stop until my face was red and tears were streaming down my cheeks. D had long since disappeared and when I bit my lip to stifle the bubbling laughter, it was with blunt human teeth.

Warren raised an eyebrow at me, his lips pulled up in a wide smile. "You okay?"

"Fine, fine," I wheezed and raised a hand to wipe my eyes. "Holy crap," I sighed. "You could have warned me you were standing at the top of a hill."

He chuckled. "You didn't really give me much of a chance."

I pursed my lips and tried to look angry, but failed miserably. "That's true."

With a soft shake of his head he leaned down and kissed me and I threw my arms around his neck to hold him close. He smiled against my lips and we lay there in the grass, kissing and laughing and exchanging quiet words, pausing only when the sun emerged over the horizon and bathed the world in colour and light and perfect warmth.

I rested my head back against the grass and raised a hand to stroke Warren's cheek as he turned his head to watch the sky. "I want you to remember this," I whispered, brushing my thumb over his lips when he gazed down at me with curious eyes. "No matter what happens, I want you to remember the way the grass feels underneath your hands, how the sun feels on your skin, the smell of the air, the sounds, the colours, everything." I saw a flash of emotion cross his face – the same one from the day we came here – and brushed a lock of hair away from his eyes. "Most of all I want you to remember how much I love you and how happy we are right now." I propped myself up on one elbow and pulled him down until his forehead was pressed tight to mine. "Nothing will ever take this away from us."

He didn't say a word; instead he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me with a passion that made my toes curl. The same passion was there when we made love that night, fingers trailing over skin and lips never straying as we breathed new life into each other. There was a fierce vulnerability in Warren's voice as he cried my name in his release and I clung to him as my own body twitched and shuddered.

"I love you," I whispered as we lay there afterward, curled around each other and struggling to catch our breath. He returned the sentiment in a gentle voice and I buried my face in the crook of his neck, pressing my lips to the thrumming pulse there.

No matter what happened, nothing would take this away from us.

* * *

**Oh Warren, why won't you tell us what's bothering you?**

**Well, that's it for the summer house. Is it wrong that I wish we could stay here? It's so lovely :)**

**I feel I should mention that we're over halfway through this story. There are eleven chapters altogether - including an epilogue - but I have a lot of outtakes planned, so it's not the end just yet.**

**Now, updates might be a little slow over the next few weeks. A friend of mine is coming to visit for three weeks and we're going to be out and about a lot. But I promise to try and continue updating regularly. If I have trouble, I promise to put a teaser over on the blog. And you can always check my Twitter account for any information.**

**In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts. **

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	8. The Distance Between Us

**Time to leave the summer house. Le sigh.**

**Let's go see what these crazy kids are up to now that there's no more school :) **

**Disclaimer: ************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Eight  
The Distance Between Us**_

I watched from my perch on the back of the motorbike as Warren locked the front door of the house and slipped the keys into his pocket.

Our time here had gone by way too fast and as excited as I was to see my friends and family again, I was genuinely sad to be leaving. Warren and I had discovered so much about each other during the week and a deep, sensual connection had blossomed between us since that first night together. It would be strange to go from pretty much living together to… well… not. I had enjoyed the solitude and the opportunity to spend some proper, one-on-one quality time with him. I certainly wasn't ready – or willing – to give that up just yet.

But it seemed I wasn't being left with much of a choice as we didn't really have enough food to stay any longer.

Warren noticed the dejected expression on my face and cupped my cheeks in his hands when I was within arm's reach. "Why the long face?" he asked, the early morning sun highlighting his warm eyes.

I let out a breath and kissed his thumb as he ran it over my lips. "I don't want to leave," I said, feeling my eyes prick with tears. I didn't care if crying was silly; I was going to miss this place.

He nodded in understanding and kissed my forehead. "It's not forever," he soothed. "You know we can come back whenever you want."

"Really?"

His lips curved up in a gentle smile. "Of course."

His words calmed the sadness in my heart and I relaxed, tilting my head back to show him that I wanted a kiss. He quickly caught on and bent down to press his lips against mine, their soft warmth igniting the slow burning fire in my belly that had sparked to life after our first time. I hoped it never went away.

Warren seemed to notice and pulled away with a rough chuckle. "Careful, otherwise I'll unlock the door and drag you back inside," he warned, tapping my nose with his finger before turning to swing his leg over the bike and settle on the seat in front of me.

I smiled and shoved the helmet down over my head before wrapping my arms around his torso. The bike rumbled to life beneath us and I rested my head against his back as we cruised down the now familiar winding path. I kept my eyes on the little house until we turned the first corner and it disappeared behind the trees.

x-X-x

There weren't many cars out on the road since it was still early so we made good time getting home. Mum greeted us at the door with Michelle at her side – who had apparently come over for breakfast – and pulled me into a hug before I could step inside. I laughed and wrapped my arms around her torso as she kissed my hair and leaned back.

"It's good to see you again, sweetie," she said, glancing over my shoulder at Warren who was in the middle of giving Michelle a relaxed, one-armed hug. "Hello Warren, good trip?"

He smiled and his eyes met mine for a brief second. "Certainly was."

I blushed, flashes of our time together going off behind my eyes. "So," I said before either one of them could ask for further details. "What have you lot been up to while we were gone?"

After saying hello to everyone else and taking my bag upstairs – the things we couldn't bring back on the bike would be retrieved by car a little later in the day – I joined mum and Michelle at the kitchen table to talk about my week at the summer house. Michelle was delighted to know that I had enjoyed myself and ultimately fallen in love with the little forest hideaway and said that I could go back whenever I pleased for it wasn't used nearly enough. Layla and Magenta showed up not long into the conversation, having gotten word – most likely from Will – that we were back. They joined in on the conversation until mum and Michelle announced that they had planned to go into the local markets today and had to get a move on.

Once they left the rest of us ended up migrating to my bedroom, leaving Will and Warren to whatever it was they did to pass the time. I imagined Warren would try and take a sneaky nap – I had woken him up a bit earlier than intended this morning.

'**I feel like I should be scolding you for having sex so much,' **D said as I followed the girls up the stairs. I had to disguise my shocked laughter behind a hard cough.

'_You're not subtle at all, are you?' _L asked in a tone that said she wasn't surprised in the slightest.

'**Uh, that'd be no,' **D replied. **'But seriously. It's been a week and I've almost lost count of how many times they've… well…'**

'_I don't see anything wrong with that. They're being safe. And who cares? They're in love; this is something new for them to experience together. Let them enjoy it.'_

'**Like I'm going to stop them?' **she laughed. **'All I meant was that they've been at it so much recently, someone should give them a stern talking to. Like, if you don't give it a rest you're going to end up with a broken hip before you're twenty.'**

'_I wish I could argue with that, but she has a good point.'_

'**Right? You've got some serious sex bruises on your hips and thighs, Jay, I'm not gonna lie.'**

I covered my face with my hands as I sat down on my bed, ignoring the curious looks my friends gave me. _Why are we talking about this?_

'**Because we can. Oh! Why did the girl have a bruised bellybutton?'**

_I'm scared to ask, _I thought as Layla and Maj seemed to catch on that I was otherwise occupied and started speaking quietly to each other. _But okay, why?_

'**Her boyfriend was blonde.'**

There was a moment of silence in my head as L and I let the punch line sink in and the moment it did, my angelic counterpart began laughing so hard I could have sworn she was crying. Try as I might, I couldn't hold back a giggle of my own. _Alright, I'm needed elsewhere. You two have fun exchanging dirty jokes._

I quickly tuned them out, their voices turning to a low, easily ignorable hum in the back of my mind and gave Layla and Magenta my full attention. They turned to me with eager smiles and I ran a hand through my hair, knowing I was about to receive the Spanish Inquisition.

"Go on, then," I sighed. "Have at it."

They had already heard most of what Warren and I had gotten up to during our week away including exploring the forest, cooking all sorts of things and making a huge mess in the process and all those other silly little things. I knew what they were most curious about and was surprised to find that they didn't really hint at it. I bought myself some time by asking about their college response letters and what they'd been up to while we were gone. Magenta was trying to decide between two Design schools in different states and Layla was waiting to hear back from more places, but she had set her sights on the Botany course in Seattle she had already received an acceptance to.

Unfortunately, that topic of conversation didn't last as long as I'd hoped and soon Layla touched on the subject I had sneakily been trying to avoid for as long as possible. "So," she began tentatively. "Did you get our gifts?"

I snorted, remembering the pink bag that had sent me into full-on panic mode. "Yes, I did." At her sheepish smile I laughed and reached out to touch her shoulder. "You can relax. I really liked what I found." In fact I had worn quite a few different outfits during the week, much to Warren's delight.

She exhaled in relief.

Magenta snickered. "Did you wear any that first night?"

"The white babydoll."

She nodded approvingly. "Nice."

I smiled at her and noticed Layla chewing on her bottom lip. "I know what you want to ask," I told her. "Go ahead."

Her cheeks flushed when she realized she'd been caught, but her eyes were soft and concerned when she spoke. "How was it?"

I watched her ever gentle face for a moment, trying to piece together a sentence that would properly describe that first night. While the three of us usually confided in each other about this sort of thing – they were my best friends after all – there was an element of discomfort now. I was in no way a prude about this kind of stuff, but most of what Warren and I had shared over the past week seemed deeply personal. I was sure that in the future I wouldn't feel this way about sharing details and experiences, but for now I would keep the deeper, more emotional stuff to myself.

However, that didn't mean I wasn't willing to give them the basic gist. "It was… unbelievable."

Layla smiled, placated, and tilted her head to the side. "Did you hurt?"

I frowned, recalling the brief ache that had accompanied Warren's first gentle thrust. "A little, but no more than what I had expected. Honestly, it wasn't that bad at all."

"Thank God," Magenta chuckled. "The last thing you needed was a traumatic first time that put you off sex for the rest of your life."

I grinned and shoved her shoulder. "I'm sure it could have been worse," I continued. "But he was so gentle and attentive. Not to give too much away or anything, but he's an amazing lover." My cheeks flushed and I touched them with the tips of my fingers, watching as Magenta gave a little fist pump and wriggled in a wonky sort of victory dance.

"So he got you there?" she asked when she was done, ignoring Layla's choked laughter. I don't think either of us had been expecting her to come out with that.

"Excuse me?" I spluttered, my eyes wide.

"You know," she elaborated, waving her hands. "Was he able to, uh…" she looked as though she was trying to find a word that wasn't too crass.

"Are you asking whether or not he was able to give me an orgasm?"

She nodded. "Although it's not likely to happen the first time. It didn't with me, but that just gave Zach more incentive to try." She shook her head with a wistful smile on her face.

It occurred to me then that she wasn't asking to be nosy; she was genuinely concerned. And having experienced my fair share of climaxes over the last week, I could definitely see why. No girl wanted to miss out on that exquisite rush of pleasure. Warren and I had found our way rather quickly, having taken the time beforehand to learn the way the other worked, where the pleasure centres were and how to bring each other to orgasm. Those few months of stolen moments had definitely paid off in the long run.

I chuckled and pat her knee. "You can relax, Maj," I told her. "He got me there every single time, and then some."

Her eyes widened and she laughed. "Seriously? Even the first time?"

I nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. I knew it probably wouldn't happen the first time, but he proved me wrong. Safe to say it took us both completely by surprise."

"Lucky bitch," Layla grumbled and when I looked at her with an open mouth and wide eyes she burst into a fit of giggles. Layla _never _swore. "What?" she asked when she noticed the expression on my face. "I'm allowed to be jealous. I didn't have an orgasm the first time either, but Will more than made up for it the next time."

Magenta nodded sagely. "They always do."

"Oh God, gross!" I shrieked, clapping my hands over my ears. "I don't want to hear about my brother's expertise in the bedroom!"

Layla smirked. "Why not? He could probably give Warren a few pointers. I remember there was one time where it was so good that I was walking funny for days."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Magenta pinched the bridge of her nose to try and rein in her snickers while Layla exhaled in a rush and looked at me again, a bright red tint to her cheeks. "In all honesty, Jay, we're very happy for you. It's sweet that you both decided to wait until after graduation and we're glad to know that it was worth it in the end."

"Yeah, who knew he had it in him?" Magenta added.

"No kidding. Go Warren."

I grinned. "I'm pretty pleased with him myself."

Magenta's eyes were wicked. "I'll bet you are," she said and it wasn't long before we were swept under by a tidal wave of laughter.

x-X-x

After the stress and absolute craziness of the previous month, it was safe to say that I was enjoying the slow, relaxed pace of the weeks that followed our return from the summer house.

Warren had started taking more day shifts to not only earn some extra money but to avoid taking the night shifts that were his only option during our years at school. They used to leave him absolutely exhausted and prevented him from getting a decent night's sleep. And while I was glad he had that opportunity now, it also meant that I didn't get to see him as often.

So while he worked I spent most of my time reading and hanging out with the rest of our friends. I'd been feeling a little disconnected from them lately and vowed to rectify that as soon as possible. Layla and Maj were more than happy to oblige, inviting me over to their houses every other day to watch movies, eat junk food and just be teenage girls. And when I wasn't there, I was at the beach or at the shops or even home with Will, Zach and Ethan playing Xbox and throwing things at each other.

Despite how much fun I was having, one thing I hadn't been prepared for was just how difficult it would be for Warren and me to find time for ourselves. Sure, we could hang out together at either his place or mine, but we were always around family or friends. It was never just us.

"This is ridiculous," I grumbled one night after Warren had climbed in through the window and wrapped me in his arms. He had been sneaking in less and less lately, our old traditions relaxing now that we had finished school. We were adults now, out in the big wide world. Things were bound to change. "I feel like I haven't seen you in years."

He chuckled, kissing my exposed shoulder as we stretched out on the bed. "You saw me this morning."

"I know, but it's not the same." I trailed my fingers down his stomach, delighting in the clench of his muscles. "I miss you."

And I did. It had been almost two and a half weeks since we had been intimate and I was going insane. I missed the feel of his body against mine, his ragged breaths in my ear, his lips hot and feverish as he kissed me with all the passion he could muster. It was much harder to find the time for it when you weren't alone in the middle of the forest.

Warren's low groan pulled me from my musings and I glanced up at him, the sound setting my body on fire. "I know, baby, I know. I miss you, too."

I knew that what I was about to suggest was crazy and there was every chance we could get caught, but I didn't care anymore. I needed him. "Do you think we could…"

His eyes widened as he caught on. "Are you serious?" I nodded somewhat frantically and rolled him onto his back, straddling his waist and balancing myself with my hands on his chest. "We'd have to be quiet."

I frowned, even as my heart began to race. "I can be quiet."

He narrowed his eyes for a moment before he sighed and sat up to wrap his arms around me. "I hope so," he said and his lips found mine as we tumbled back onto the bed.

x-X-x

The first of my college response letters arrived a week later. It was a thick envelope from Syracuse and when I opened it and found out I had been accepted, I spent the next five minutes dancing around the kitchen.

I received two more acceptances, a rejection and a wait-list notice from Victoria University in Toronto in the weeks that followed. There were still a few I was waiting on – including the big one from Columbia – but the news had been excellent so far and boosted my confidence for a few more positive responses.

Mum and dad were ecstatic and Will – who had decided to take a gap year to sort himself out and decide whether or not he wanted to go to college at all – seemed to be smiling almost constantly, peeking over my shoulder whenever I went out to get the mail.

And although he smiled and congratulated me on my acceptances, Warren still seemed troubled about the whole college thing. The tightness in his eyes that had eased during our week away was back in full force and whenever a conversation centered around further education, he barely spoke.

This had been going on for two months now and as much as I loved him his behavior was really starting to get on my nerves. I had given him time in the hope that he would tell me what was bothering him, but he seemed intent on keeping it to himself and had it been about anything else I most likely wouldn't have minded; but this involved me. College was part of my plan and something about that rubbed him the wrong way.

'_I understand your frustration,' _L said as I cruised down the city streets one afternoon. I had been handing out resumes recently in the hopes of finding a part time job. I wanted to be able to help out at home and to have some extra money to buy things I wanted. And of course now that I wasn't at school a job was kind of necessary. _'But you need to let him deal with this on his own.'_

'**Screw that,' **D shot back, a snarl in her voice. **'She has every right to bring this up with him. He's been keeping it from her ever since she first told him she wanted to go to college.'**

_She's right, L. I know him. If I don't ask him about it he'll keep it to himself for as long as he can. I can't go away to study with that weighing on my mind._

Thankfully I wasn't leaving anytime soon. The last thing I wanted to do was go off for another four years of study after finishing high school mere months before. No, I wanted to find my place and just relax for a little while; besides, since I had been so late to apply my only option was to push it back until the Spring semester which, surprisingly enough, suited me fine.

L was silent for a moment, lost in her own thoughts. _'Are you sure this is the kind of person you want to be?' _she eventually asked.

I flinched as I stopped at a red light, watching through the tinted cover of my helmet as cars rumbled past. _Of course not, _I told her. _The last thing I want to be is a nagging, overbearing girlfriend. But I don't have a choice. This is important, and Warren is about as stubborn as I am._

'_You could try and bring it up calmly.'_

_Trust me, it may start off calmly, but it certainly won't end that way._

She sighed, unable to come up with another argument as I slipped back into the flow of traffic. _Look, _I said after a while, pulling off into a side street as I neared home. _I'm not trying to sound like I'm annoyed that he's keeping something from me. I'm genuinely concerned. If we don't sort this thing out it'll no doubt drive a wedge between us, and I don't want that. I love him too much and to risk having him emotionally cutting himself off from me? I wouldn't dare take that chance unless it was this important. I'm scared, girls. I don't want him agonizing over whatever it is that's troubling him until he makes it out into something bigger than it is. I have to know, and for that, tempers might have to flare._

'**I get it,' **D murmured. **'Do what you gotta do, Jay.'**

'_I, too, see your point. And while I also see that confrontation is necessary, at least give it a few more days.'_

Unable to fault her for wanting to be delicate about the whole thing I nodded and relaxed my shoulders as I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. Layla's car was parked on the curb as well as Warren's motorbike; he had told me he'd be calling around this afternoon. I suppose Will had called the others for a night in. That knowledge made me smile and I let my worries fall away as I jogged up the path and went inside.

"Hey kid," Zach called when I joined them in the living room. Ethan was intent on his round of DJ Hero but raised his head to smile at me as I sat down beside Warren on the couch, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. His eyes were tender and warm when he looked at me, no hint of strain in the darkness.

"Hey," I replied, winking at Layla when she waved at me. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much," Will said, twisting a lock of Layla's hair around his finger. "We were thinking of ordering a bunch of pizzas for dinner. Sound good?"

"Absolutely." I curled my legs up and played with Warren's fingers as he settled his hand on my thigh.

"Anyway, I think we should go," Magenta spoke up, continuing the conversation that my arrival must have interrupted. "Layla and I are leaving for college soon so it would be nice to catch up with everyone again before then."

I was about to ask what they were talking about when Warren, obviously having noticed the confused expression on my face, dipped his head down to speak low in my ear. "James and Alec are throwing a party for everyone who graduated this year," he said and I had to work hard to ignore the fluttering in my stomach as his breath washed over my skin. "It's a way for everyone to get together and catch up before people start going off to... well, wherever it is they decide to go."

I nodded. "When is it?"

"Friday afternoon," Will said before Warren could answer.

"Sounds good to me." James and Alec were both very good friends of mine, so it didn't surprise me in the slightest that they were the masterminds behind the whole thing. It would be good to see everyone again before we were split up, and who knows, maybe I'd be going to the same college as some of them. "Are you guys going?"

Magenta nodded. "Yeah, we were all planning to go. We were waiting until you got home to make a final decision."

I smiled. "I'm in."

"Awesome," Zach said with a little fist pump before reaching over Ethan's shoulder to grab the miniature DJ deck. "My turn."

"Fine," Ethan laughed. "My arm was getting sore anyway."

Will snorted. "At least it's your arm and not your wrist for once."

"Oh God," Layla groaned, covering her face with her hand.

I laughed and leaned further into Warren's side, nuzzling into him as his arm tightened around me and he kissed my temple. As I watched my brother and the rest of our friends laugh and tease each other, I was reminded of just how much I was going to miss them.

* * *

**They're so silly :)**

**I kinda love that scene with Jamie, Layla and Maj. It's so cute and was a lot of fun to write.**

**You know how last week I said updates might be a little sketchy for a while? Forget that. My friend had to delay her flight for personal reasons, so things will carry on as normal. Which is a good thing for you because there's going to be quite a bit going on in the next few chapters. **

**For example: next chapter is where we finally find out what's been bugging Warren. **

**It seems that my lurkers have gone back into hiding after chapter six ;) Come back, lovelies! I miss you!**

**Until next time, I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	9. Boiling Point

**Brace yourselves. Tempers are about to flare.**

**The M rating comes back into play for this chapter. There's a lemon and lots of swearing. You've been warned ;)**

**There are also several characters from Pulvis in this chapter. Have fun getting to know them.**

**Disclaimer: ****************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Nine  
Boiling Point**_

My fingers tapped a disjointed rhythm against my jean clad thigh as I sat on the front steps Friday afternoon. Will and the others had already left for the party but Warren was running late and since I had decided to travel there with him, I was late too. Not that it bothered me; I was perfectly content to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air, even if it was a little bit chilly.

I had received a text message a few minutes ago simply stating that Warren was finished helping Michelle and was on his way over. Michelle had an important meeting this afternoon with a local art gallery who were interested in showcasing her work and had asked Warren to help her load up her car with some of the larger canvases that she often struggled with on her own. For her sake, I hoped all went well. She was a brilliant artist and deserved to have more of her work out there for the rest of the world to appreciate.

'_Do you think we'll have to buy our own tickets if they make the deal?' _

'**No way. We'd get in for free.'**

I shook my head with a smile, rising to my feet as the familiar rumble of a motorbike engine broke the peaceful silence and Warren pulled up at the curb. He removed his helmet so that I could kiss him and complimented me on my choice of outfit. Since it was a bit colder than usual today I had chosen jeans, a white tank top and a pair of black heeled boots complete with my favourite riding jacket. We were going out after all and I wanted to look nice, even if I wasn't the girliest person in the world.

It wasn't hard to find James' place. I'd been there a few times before, but with all the cars parked down the street it was impossible to miss. Warren found a spot near the driveway and cut the engine, holding a hand out to help me once he was standing on the curb. I glanced up at the miserably cloudy sky and frowned; was it supposed to rain today? I couldn't remember.

"Should we knock?" I asked as we walked up the front steps to the door. I could hear the muffled thrum of music and turned to look at Warren who was staring at the door with pursed lips.

"I doubt anyone would hear it and they know we're coming, so I'd say we could get away with letting ourselves in," he replied, turning the knob and ushering me inside before stepping in and closing the door behind him.

There was a decent crowd of people in the living room, large groups all crammed together on the various couches and standing in whatever space they could find. It didn't seem like a reckless teenage party – we were all mature enough to know better. That and almost everyone's parents were dedicated to fighting crime, so the simple life lesson of 'don't be stupid' would have been instilled early on in life.

'**Quit being all Confucius says,' **D grumbled. **'It's a party. Sure, maybe not a fun, out of control party, but a party nonetheless. Let loose already!'**

'_You just want her to let you dance on the table.'_

'**I'm convinced it'll happen someday. Maybe when we're off at college someone will talk her into going to a bar and she'll have a little too much to drink…'**

_Keep the dream alive, D, _I thought, craning my neck to better see over the crowd. I could see many familiar faces, but none belonged to the people I was actually looking for.

"There's James," Warren said, dipping his head down so that I could hear him over the noise. I squeezed his hand and he kissed my temple in response before we made our way down the hall to where James and Alec were talking.

"Hey, you made it!" James practically shouted when we were close enough for him to take notice of us. "It's good to see you," he said, holding his arms open wide for a hug that I stepped into without delay. "How's it going, hot stuff?"

I snorted. James and I had a habit of fake-flirting with each other for nothing other than shits and giggles. Both of us were happily taken, but it was so much fun to tease and torment each other. "Good," I replied, reaching out to squeeze his bicep. He made a show of flexing it beneath my fingers. "Check out those muscles," I crooned, widening my eyes for dramatic effect. "Oh, you're so strong!"

He winked at me before we both lost it and started laughing. I slipped out of his arms and reached out to hug Alec who smiled sweetly and murmured a greeting in my ear before I stepped back into the warm circle of Warren's arms.

"So, where is that lovely lady of yours?" I asked, glancing up the staircase for any more familiar faces. I spotted Layla walking down the hall and waved when she noticed me. She would most likely let the others know we were here.

James looked back over his shoulder, no doubt attempting to find Astrid among the throngs of people in the house. "I saw her wandering around with Dana a few minutes ago; I'm sure they're here somewhere."

I nodded, watching as Alec waved to someone across the room. "So, do you think there's any space left to sit down or are we doomed to stand for the rest of the afternoon?"

James laughed and tapped me gently on the cheek. "I'm sure I can find a place for that pretty little ass to sit," he teased, ducking when I made a wild swat for the back of his head. "I'm kidding! Come on."

True to his word, James managed to find us a spot on one of the large couches in the living room. I sank into the cushions with a grateful sigh and leaned my head back against Warren's arm as he rested it on the back of the couch. It didn't take long for the others to find us and I waved as they entered the room and swarmed around us like bees, stealing any and all space on the couch and the floor surrounding it. Zane sat down by my feet while Dana perched herself on the arm of the recliner that Alec was sitting in. He nudged her side, complaining about her stealing his arm space.

"Aw, look at that," Will teased, his eyes on Zane. "Don't dogs usually sit by their masters' feet, Zane?"

Zane simply shook his head and told Will where he could shove his smartass comment while I leaned forward and ruffled his hair, dodging the hands he waved above his head in an attempt to get me to leave him alone.

"Excuse me?" Dana interjected, both eyebrows raised as she stared at my brother. "I'm pretty sure I'm his master."

"Right. Jamie's just the mistress," James added.

"Fuck you," I laughed.

Ethan and Zach let out a loud chorus of "oooooh" while James flipped me the bird and shifted his attention to Astrid who was watching the whole exchange with an amused smile on her face. She never really got involved with all our teasing, happy to be a third party observer. To me, she was the most adorable person on the planet.

"So, Zane," Will continued, a devilish twinkle in his eye. Oh no; I knew that expression. "I imagine your favourite position is doggy style?"

Zane tilted his head to the side with a smile. "It's one of the good ones," he replied in that calm voice of his.

"Oh damn!" James cried while Ethan and Zach high fived each other.

"Actually," Zach said after the laughter died down. "I feel I should mention that bestiality is illegal, so…"

"Dude, you can't talk," Warren shot back. "Maj is a guinea pig."

Maj didn't say anything. Instead she let out a long groan and dropped her head into her hands while the rest of us howled with another wave of laughter.

"You know," Astrid said a moment later. "I prefer being on top myself."

There was a beat of silence and then pandemonium as people started laughing, yelling and throwing things at James. The poor boy tried in vain to avoid the cushion Alec threw at him and groaned as it bounced off the side of his head. Astrid covered her mouth with her hand to hide her giggles.

"You've corrupted her!" Layla wailed, pretending to swoon back into Magenta's waiting arms.

James raised his chin with a smug smile. "I don't deny it. In fact, she's quite into bondage." Our yelling grew in volume yet he continued to talk. "Handcuffs, leather bindings, whatever we can find, really. Oh, and spanking, she loves that."

"Alright, enough!" Dana cried, clapping her hands over her ears. Her mahogany eyes shone with mirth. "I don't need to hear this!"

I chuckled and nodded approvingly in Astrid's direction. "I'm impressed," I told her. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Oh, trust me, she has it in her alright," James crooned, laughing when Astrid finally cracked and attempted to smack him on the leg.

The insanity that always came about when we were all in the same room blossomed further and kept us laughing for the next few hours. We reminisced about years past, future adventures and what we were all up to at the moment. I felt a twist of anxiety in my stomach when the conversation shifted to college plans, as I knew it would. The muscles in Warren's arm tightened behind my head as Layla, Maj and Dana compared classes and starting dates. I didn't enjoy the tense silence between Warren and me and focused my attention on Astrid in an attempt to defuse it.

"So, Astrid," I began, smiling when she looked at me with her eyebrows raised in question. "When do you start at Julliard?"

Astrid was an incredibly skilled ballet dancer, so it was no surprise that she'd been accepted to the most prestigious performing arts college in the country. Despite her talent, she was very humble and wouldn't talk about it unless you nagged her until she gave in. "Oh, I leave in three weeks. I thought about starting in the spring, but I just couldn't wait."

"You're excited then?"

"Absolutely. Although I'm not fond of the idea of leaving James behind." She looked to her boyfriend who smiled tenderly at her, all teasing forgotten, and kissed her forehead. "It's going to be hard."

"I don't doubt it," I soothed her. Warren still didn't say a word.

She smiled, her gaze flicking between Warren and I. "Layla was telling me that you've received quite a few acceptances over the last couple of weeks?"

I nodded. "I'm still waiting on the last few. I want to know all my options before I make a decision."

"I know what you mean. I hope you get into the college you wanted."

"Thanks," I said. "I've applied to a few in New York, so you never know; we might be studying in the same place."

Her eyes lit up and she laughed. "I certainly hope so. It would be wonderful knowing that one of my friends is nearby."

"Earth to Jamie and Astrid!" Dana called and we both turned, unaware of the fact that she'd been trying to get our attention. She grinned when I met her gaze. "I'm going to get a few drinks. You thirsty?"

"A little bit," Astrid replied. "Perhaps just a lemonade?"

"Sure." Dana hopped off the arm of the couch, shaking her head as Alec made a big show of stretching his arms out.

"I'll help you," I said, rising from the couch and arching my back to crack the muscles. "Do you want anything, Warren?" I asked, looking back at him.

His eyes were soft but held a flicker of the unsettling darkness that had been there for the last few weeks. I almost wanted to growl at the sight of it; he was still hiding something from me. "No thanks, baby." And with that, he looked away.

'**Shake it off, kid,' **D urged as my fingers curled into my palms. **'Go help Dana before you do something stupid. Now isn't the time.'**

'_She's right,' _L agreed. _'Relax.'_

I breathed in deep and followed Dana from the room, weaving through the clusters of people until we were able to slip into the adjoining kitchen. If you angled your head just right you could see straight in from the living room. Dana made a beeline for the large cooler box on the kitchen counter and began plucking bottles and cans of drink from the ice.

"Do you want to grab me some napkins, Jay?" she asked, nodding towards the stack of paper squares on the far side of the counter. "I'm sure someone is bound to spill something. Either that, or James will shake a can before giving it to Alec."

I felt my lips twitch in the hint of a smile as I crossed the room and leaned over the counter to reach for the stack of napkins. Just as my fingers closed around them, two warms hands covered my eyes and a tall, lean body pressed against my back.

"Guess who," a familiar, lilting voice whispered in my ear and I blinked in surprise. That was a British accent; I knew that voice!

"No way," I breathed, twisting around and pulling the hands away from my eyes. My smile grew into a full-blown grin when I got a proper look at the achingly handsome face before me. "Kellen!" I cried and without a second thought, threw my arms around him.

"Hello, love," he chuckled, winding his arms around me. "You're looking beautiful."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back to look at him. "And you're still a flirt."

He shrugged. "Guilty."

Dana laughed as she walked past us. "I'll leave you two to catch up. Come and join us when you're ready."

"No worries," I replied, waving half-heartedly as she left the room. "So," I continued, slipping out of Kellen's arms to lean back against the counter. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Kellen, much like Dana and Zane, transferred to Sky High for his senior year, but unlike most people he actually transferred all the way from England. He was annoyingly handsome with his tanned skin, charcoal eyes and soft brown hair; not to mention that sexy British accent of his. Despite the fact that I was in a serious, long-term relationship, I couldn't help but find him attractive.

"I just got back from visiting my family," he replied. "James called me yesterday to let me know he was having a party, so I thought I'd stop by and see my old friends."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you took a gap year." Kellen graduated a year before me and instead of going straight to college he decided to take a year off to see his family back in England and, from what I'd heard, spend a few months in Paris. "And now you're back for college?"

"Yes ma'am," he said, smiling when I laughed at him. Stupid, old fashioned heartthrob. "At the start of the spring term I'll be studying Anthropology and Linguistics at Columbia University."

"God, you're such a nerd," I teased and then stopped when the last of his words sank in. "Wait, you're going to Columbia?"

He nodded. "I am. Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all," I said in a rush. "It just surprised me. I actually sent in an application for there a few months ago."

His eyes widened. "Really? That's wonderful! Have you heard back yet?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid not, but keep your fingers crossed for me, okay?"

"Absolutely," he said with the utmost sincerity. "I hope you get in. It'd be fantastic to study at the same university; at least then I'd actually know someone there."

I smiled and was about to speak again when the strangest sensation began to creep through my body. My limbs loosened and my mind went foggy, sending me into the most wonderful state of lethargy and euphoria. My eyes rolled about lazily and I felt Kellen grab the tops of my arms to steady me and the moment our eyes met my body felt like it was being set on fire. But oh, it was the most delicious burn.

As I watched, a slow smirk began to twist his lips and it was then that realization hit. I blinked hard and the moment shattered. "You little shit!" I cried and punched him hard on the shoulder.

"Ouch," he laughed and raised his hand to rub the sore spot. "You know, I thought that doing that to you would have gotten old by now, but it really hasn't."

"I'd almost forgotten just how much of a pain in the ass you are with that power," I shot back. Kellen had the unique power of Hypnosis – or as I liked to call it, Instant Seduction. With one look he could get you to do, feel or say anything he wanted you to. Because I had D and L inside my head it was a bit harder for him to keep his concentration, but he loved to give it a red hot go.

He merely grinned. "I may be a pain in the ass, but I'm a polite one. So, how about I walk you back to your friends?" he said and held out his arm.

"You belong in the 1800s, I swear to God," I said and slid my hand into the crook of his elbow.

He grimaced. "But moves like these wouldn't work back then. Everyone did it."

I was still laughing by the time we reached the others back in the living room. I saw Layla nudge Magenta and the two of them then proceeded to ogle the hell out of Kellen's face. I honestly didn't have it in me to blame them. I gave him another hug and he kissed me on the cheek before I picked my way over the legs stretched out on the floor and fell back beside Warren on the couch. "Did you miss me?" I asked.

Instead of smiling at me or even taking my hand, Warren merely pursed his lips and continued to look straight ahead. I could feel the heat coming off his body and my brows furrowed; he was mad.

"Warren?" I asked in a much softer voice and put my hand over his which rested tensely on his thigh. He jerked his hand away the moment our skin touched.

I flinched back from him and looked down at my lap, trying to ignore the sting of his actions. I could feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes and desperately pushed them back. So, he'd finally reached his boiling point. Fine, but I didn't see why he had to be so cruel. What had I done to deserve such coldness from him?

"So, Warren," Kellen said and I looked up nervously. "Jamie tells me she's applied at Columbia. You must be proud."

"Of course," he replied, but despite his words, his voice was pure venom.

Kellen didn't seem to notice. "Well, if she's accepted, and I'm sure she will be, you won't have to worry about her getting herself into trouble. I'll be there to keep her in line."

I knew that Kellen's comment wasn't meant as a jab at my boyfriend; he was merely trying to make conversation and be his usual charming self. But Warren didn't see it that way. Without another word he rose from the couch and crossed the room to the front door. I watched with wide eyes as he opened the door and all but marched outside, not bothering to close it behind him.

Kellen's brows furrowed as the rest of us sat there in stunned silence. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," I soothed him, my voice weak and shaking. "I think he's just having an off day. I'd better go see what's wrong." I rose from the couch and forced an apologetic smile onto my face. "I'm sorry about that. I think we might have to call it a day, but keep in touch."

"Sure," James murmured with a slow nod. I looked down at Zane who was still sitting on the floor beside my feet. His silver eyes shone with concern and I reached down to tug on his ear before rushing after Warren.

Will caught my arm as I passed him. "Jamie…"

"Will, please," I begged, hoping I wouldn't hear the engine start while I was still inside. "Let me go."

His grip loosened and I all but sprinted out the door, shivering as the cold air nipped at my skin. "Warren!" I cried, my heart clenching in panic when I noticed him trying to start the Ducati. "Warren, what are you doing?"

He didn't answer me and I snarled, hit by a sudden rush of anger. I slammed my hands down on the bike handles. "You're not leaving without me," I growled. "So don't bother trying."

We stared each other down for a long moment before finally Warren gave in, his eyes narrowed. "Get on," he spat, jerking his head to the side, indicating for me to grab my helmet.

It took a great deal of effort to keep the hurt from showing on my face as I walked around to the back of the bike and shoved the silver helmet onto my head. I knew I could easily fly and catch him before he arrived at his house, but he would take the scenic route so that I'd get bored of waiting and give up, or he'd try to find some other way to avoid confrontation. This way, he didn't have an escape. After the scene he made there was no way in hell I was letting him get off the hook. I'd had enough.

The muscles in his stomach were taut with frustration as I wrapped my arms around him, keeping my distance where I could. The moment I was settled on the seat Warren revved the engine to life and we shot down the street like a bullet from a gun. Any other day I would have scolded him and told him to slow down, but I embraced the rush, the speed with which we travelled now. He always drove fast when he was angry.

I kept my eyes on the blur of movement around us, the dark clouds overhead that held the threat of rain. Thunder began to rumble as we turned onto Warren's street.

'**Jamie,' **D warned when he slowed the bike down enough to safely turn into the driveway. **'I know you're angry, and I want you to give him a piece of your mind, but you have to think about what you say before you say it.'**

'_She's right,' _L added, her voice the only sound in the silence that had engulfed us as we sat there on the motionless bike. _'You don't want to make things worse.'_

_Girls, I think we all know that there's no way to be delicate about this. If I don't confront him then we're never going to get anywhere. This is going to end up being loud and not pretty at all, but you have to let us sort it out. Okay?_

'… **Okay.'**

I tuned them out and removed my helmet before swinging my leg over the seat and steadying myself on the hard concrete. Warren stepped to the opposite side and proceeded to walk the bike into the garage to keep it safe from any oncoming rain. I watched him with narrowed eyes. Was he going to ignore me for the rest of the day?

He reemerged a few minutes later and without sparing me so much as a glance, began to walk up the front path to the door.

My blood boiled.

"Hey," I called, following him up the path. "Hey!" When I was close enough, I reached out to grab his arm.

He shook me off violently. "Leave it alone, Jamie," he warned.

"No, I will not leave it alone," I spat, feeling the first few drops of rain strike my face. "I'm sick of you getting all moody and depressed all the fucking time. What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing. It's fine."

"It is not!" I shouted, trying to pull him around to face me. He didn't budge. "Warren, I've been walking on eggshells around you for a month and I hate it. Would you just tell me what's wrong so we can sort it out?"

"Aren't you listening? There's nothing wrong." His voice was deep with venom.

"You're lying."

"Back away, Jamie."

"No! For fuck's sake, Warren! I've had enough!" I was practically screaming now, blind with rage and hurt. "Stop keeping secrets and _tell me what's wrong!"_

He whirled around to face me, the steadily growing rain matting his hair against his cheeks and neck. It took everything in me not to flinch away from the manic anger in his eyes; I had never seen him like this. "You want to know what's wrong?" he boomed, his voice loud enough that it felt like the air around me was vibrating.

"Yes!"

"Fine! What's wrong? The fact that I have to listen to you talk to our friends about college and moving to another state for four fucking years, that's what's wrong! The fact that while you're off studying and having a great time, I'll be here wondering if you still love me, that's what's wrong! The fact that you might find someone else and realize how much better you can do, that, Jamie, is what's wrong!"

I barely let the words sink in before I was yelling again. "Are you kidding me right now? This is about _college?_" He didn't say anything, merely watched me with pure hatred in his eyes, but somehow I knew it was no longer directed at me. "Do you know how much I agonized over bringing college up with you, and how happy I was when you encouraged me to go? And now you're saying that's what's upsetting you? _Are you_ _fucking kidding me?" _I didn't care that I was swearing, I didn't care that I was making a scene. It felt good to yell.

"I want you to go to college!" he shot back. "I just don't want you going so far away!"

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "So, what? I'm not allowed to go anywhere without your permission? Do you really want to become one of those guys?"

"No! That's exactly why I didn't say anything!"

"And that's why I'm so angry!" I yelled. We were going in circles. "You kept things from me, Warren." My voice was shaking now, tears stinging the backs of my eyes as I continued on, anger and hurt the only things that kept me going. "We've been together four years and you've never once kept anything from me. Why now?"

"Because I'm scared!" he screamed and the sharp crack in his voice stunned me into silence. "I'm scared that you're going to go away to college and realize that you can do so much better than me. The guy who's scared of losing the people he loves after his father abandoned him. I love you so much it hurts, Jamie, but sometimes I wonder if that's enough to keep us going now that we're not in school anymore."

My anger was long gone, my eyes wide and swimming with tears as the rain fell in heavy sheets around us. "Warren…" I breathed.

He didn't seem to hear me. "Seeing you with Kellen earlier ripped my heart out. He's the kind of guy someone as precious as you deserves to have." His eyes were still manic, but they were filled with a sadness that threatened to crush me. "Do you…" his voice cracked and he stopped for a moment. It was hard to hear him now over the thunder and pounding rain. "Do you think you'd be better off with someone like him?"

I took a deep breath and slowly crossed the distance between us, careful not to touch him. "Yeah, I probably would be better off." He flinched and turned his head away, a shuddering breath ripping its way down his throat. "But," I went on, reaching up to put a hand on the wet fabric of his shirt, right over his heart. "I wouldn't be happy."

His eyes flew back to mine. "But –"

"No." I shook my head. "No buts. Warren, I love you. I will always love you. You're it for me, I don't want anyone else." I blinked hard to clear the tears and raindrops from my eyes. Our breath fogged and mingled between us. "I gave myself to you, body and soul. What more do I have to do to make you understand?"

"Nothing," he said. "You don't have to do anything, Jamie. I know. I _know._" He took my face in his hands and bent down to lean his forehead against mine. "I was just scared. I'm terrified of losing you."

"You won't lose me," I soothed him. I realized now where he was coming from. He had been through so much at such a young age, having to deal with the loss of his father, the separation of his parents. To him, he was finally getting his life back on track, but now that I was planning to go away for college he was scared it would all fall apart again and he'd be left completely alone in the world.

I finally got it.

"You didn't have to hide all this from me, Warren," I whispered, brushing my thumbs over his cheeks. "You could have told me. I would have talked it through with you."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't want you to think I was trying to make you feel guilty for wanting to follow your dreams. I want you to succeed; I want you to be happy, Jamie. I do."

I smiled. "_You_ make me happy, Warren. I wouldn't have the strength or courage to even try and follow my dreams if it wasn't for you."

He closed his eyes and pulled me close, burying his face in my neck as I wrapped my arms around him. "I love you," he whispered against my wet skin. "I love you so much."

"I know. I love you, too," I told him. "Take me upstairs and let me show you how much."

Without a word he lifted me into his arms and carried me up the path and into the house, our lips fused together as I ran my hands down his back, into his hair, across his shoulders, anywhere I could reach. Now that we had fleshed out the problem that had caused such a great distance to span between us, we were eager to find each other again and I felt the familiar fever of longing burning beneath my skin.

Warren kicked the door closed behind him once we were in the dry, warm safety of the house. He managed to get his shoes off without dropping me and I giggled against his lips when he stumbled and sent us crashing into the wall by the stairs. I felt giddy with relief at the knowledge that we were going to be okay. Now all I wanted was to be close to him and as soon as we managed to get up to his room, such a thing would be possible.

"You can put me down you know," I said into his mouth as he walked carefully up the stairs. "We'd get up there a hell of a lot faster."

"No," he gasped as my fingers rubbed the nape of his neck. His skin was burning hot against mine. "I'm never letting you go again."

I closed my eyes and hugged myself to him. "You'll never have to."

Eventually we made it to the top of the stairs and soon after, his room at the end of the hall. It occurred to me as he kicked yet another door closed behind him that we hadn't bothered to even consider the fact that Michelle might be home. I knew that she wasn't; she was still in the city and wouldn't be home until late, but the thought of her catching us stumbling our way up the stairs in our rush to be alone made me grimace.

Warren noticed and leaned back to look at me as he set me down on the ground. "What?" he asked.

I smiled at him. "I'm just glad that there's no one else home."

He chuckled and I reveled in the sound. For the first time in weeks he sounded free of any worry or distress. All the bad things in his life had simply fallen away. "I hadn't even thought of that, but thank God." He scrunched his nose in amusement and I pulled his face down to mine so that I could kiss him again.

He took his time removing my clothes, kissing and touching every inch of skin as it was exposed to his dark eyes. He groaned at the lacy black bra I wore and quickly removed it, cupping my breasts in his hands and running his lips over them, the warmth against my cold skin making me shudder. I managed to get his shirt up and over his head and was working on the button of his jeans as he walked us back towards the bed. The wet denim joined the steadily growing pile of clothes on the floor as we tumbled back onto the mattress.

"You're so beautiful," Warren whispered against my shoulder, tracing his tongue over my skin before wrapping his lips around a nipple. I gasped and arched my chest upwards, groaning as he sucked at the taut, puckered skin. "I will always want you."

I was desperate for him, need rippling over my body in constant waves. I was losing control; I knew he wanted to take his time but my desire was going to consume me in seconds if he didn't hurry up. "Warren," I whimpered. "Please."

He raised his head from my chest and our eyes met, blue to brown, as his fingers hooked under the waistband of my jeans and tugged them down my legs. My underwear went next and I let out a strained laugh as he threw them across the room, the material catching on the corner of his bookshelf.

Finally, mercifully, he settled the full weight of his naked body over me, his arousal brushing against my leg. I kissed him hard, my nails dragging down his back as he shifted me beneath him, hooking my right leg over his waist and pressing his hard flesh against the slick skin between my thighs. I moaned at the contact and tried to coax him inside me but he held still, his face poised above mine, damp hair skimming my forehead.

"Jamie, look at me," he begged, his voice trembling. I raised my eyes to his. "I love you," he breathed and slid inside me in one smooth, hard thrust.

My head pushed back against the pillows at that first rush of exquisite pleasure and I felt Warren's chest vibrate with a strong moan. I bit down hard on my bottom lip and let out a soft, whimpering breath.

"God damn it," Warren groaned against my cheek. "I've missed you, baby."

I merely turned my head and kissed him, parting my lips to allow his tongue entrance. My body shuddered at the hot slide of his tongue and the forceful push of his hips as we found our rhythm. He raised my hands above my head and curled his long fingers around my wrists in a vice-like grip as his other hand cupped my bottom to help push my hips into his, driving him deeper. He knew exactly what I needed; every time.

"Warren," I gasped. "Let me touch you." He rolled his hips against mine and my body curled toward him, desperate for contact. "Please, please…"

He moaned and without another moment's hesitation, rocked up and onto his knees, pulling me up with him so that I settled onto his lap. He released my hands and they immediately fell to his shoulders, gripping tight as I sank down onto him. His head fell back and he cried out as I leaned in and kissed his neck, parting my lips to graze my teeth against his overheated skin.

"No… oh God… _fuck!_" he shouted as I rocked my hips in a desperate search for release. He cupped my hip in his hand and began to lift his own hips in rhythm, the slap of our rain and sweat slicked skin echoing loudly in the otherwise silent room. His other hand sank into my hair as he kissed me, lips and tongue urgent in his passion.

I could feel the pressure building in my stomach and I dug my nails into his shoulders, dragged them down his back as my body began to shudder. I was so close… just a little more…

Warren, sensing my dilemma, let go of my hip and slid his hand down to where we were joined, dexterous, nimble fingers finding where I desperately needed to be touched and I all but screamed against his lips as his fingers traced hard, fast circles around my clit, pressing just enough to make my body twitch and writhe against him. He groaned as my muscles clenched around him and his thrusts grew in strength until I was practically bouncing in his lap, but I couldn't have cared less. The pleasure was unbelievable.

"Jamie," he gasped, turning his head to kiss my shoulder. "Come on, baby. I can feel you… oh god, here it comes… you feel so fucking good."

"_Oh… _oh my god," I whimpered, squeezing my eyes shut tight as my body teetered on the edge of control. His words added fuel to the fire and with a few more circles of his fingers against my throbbing skin I came undone, my body detonating in an explosion of absolute ecstasy.

Warren let out a vicious snarl as my body clenched around him and pushed me back down onto the mattress, his hips thrusting madly as he chased his own climax. The frantic, repeated strike of his hips against mine kept my orgasm going and I cried and moaned and shuddered beneath him, my nails leaving deep scratches down his back as he drove my body into the mattress before finally stilling above me with a desperate groan. I felt him twitch inside me and relished in the warm rush of his release. My head spun and my chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, but I had never felt more sated and relaxed.

Instead of rolling to the side Warren collapsed on top of me, still careful not to crush me with the entirety of his weight. He nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck as he worked to control his breathing. I traced my fingers over the raised lines my nails left on his back, gently soothing the burn with my cold skin. Rain continued to fall outside, the sound of it striking the window a relaxing accompaniment to our soft, exhausted breaths.

"You okay?" I asked after a few minutes of silence, turning my face into Warren's hair and kissing it. "I'm sorry if I hurt you at all."

He chuckled against my skin and I smiled. "I'm fine, honestly. The pain was very pleasurable at the time. What about you? I think I may have gripped you a bit too hard a few times; you might have some bruises tomorrow."

"Nothing wrong with that at all," I laughed weakly. "They will be well earned."

He raised himself up on shaking arms and gazed at me, his eyes soft and relaxed. The deep chocolate depths drew me in like a siren call. "And what about us? Are we okay?"

I nodded, pressing my hand against his cheek, marveling as he turned his face into my palm. "Yeah. We're okay."

* * *

**-fans self- Is it hot in here?**

**So there you go. Were you able to guess what was giving Warren so much trouble? A lot of thought went into this chapter. I did a heap of brainstorming with Anna about how the whole thing would go down. I really had to get into Warren's head and I'm very happy with the final result.**

**And of course, I promised Anna that there would be scratch marks. You're welcome, sweetie ;)  
**

**So, what did you think of the Pulvis cast? James was so much fun to write. I definitely have a soft spot for him. And Zane... oh, Zane :) Kellen, however, isn't part of that cast. I came up with him specifically for this story. Isn't he a sweetheart? What's even better is that, in my head, he looks like Douglas Booth. If you don't know who that is, go check him out. You won't regret it.**

**Things are starting to wind down now. We've got one more chapter left before the epilogue. I don't think I'm ready for this to be finished. -mope-**

**Until next time, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Glad things are okay now between these two? I sure am!**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	10. The First Step

**The last chapter before the epilogue..**

**I won't cry. I won't cry.**

**I will, however, administer a tissue warning. I got a bit emotional writing this.**

**Thanks to Anna for holding my hand and helping me brainstorm on a title for this chapter. Seriously, it drives me nuts. **

**Disclaimer: ********************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Ten  
The First Step**_

In the weeks that followed my argument and very pleasurable reconciliation with Warren, things really started happening for me. Not two days after that day in the rain I received a call from a local café I had applied at and after going in for an interview, landed a job there as a waitress. It wasn't the most glamorous job in the world, but it was fun. Also, I had supplied everyone with a new place to go for lunch.

While I loved my new job I wasn't too fond of all the spare time I didn't have. Trying to catch a spare moment or two with Warren between our often conflicting schedules was tough, but we made it work. Besides, we spent almost every night together so it wasn't too horrible if we didn't get to see each other during the day.

Things weren't just happening for me, either. Layla and Maj were mere days away from heading off to college. I'd hardly seen Will around the house; he'd been with Layla practically 24/7 in an attempt to spend as much time with her as he possibly could. I couldn't blame him. She was going to college in Seattle so they wouldn't see each other often… at least until Will caved and simply flew there to visit her.

My own college situation was still up in the air. I was adamant about going, but my Columbia response still hadn't arrived and safe to say it was driving me crazy. It was the perfect school and very much where I wanted to go, and while I had other options I was foolishly pinning all my hopes on this one response. And it wasn't showing up.

"Perhaps they sent them out a little late?" Warren offered one night after I spent the better part of an hour complaining about it. He was being absolutely wonderful about college now; talking it through had soothed any worries he may have had. He was even considering furthering his own education, much to my delight. "You need to relax, baby. It'll all work out."

And so I did my best not to think about it, but it was always there in the back of my mind. Whenever I got home from work I couldn't ignore the butterflies that swarmed my stomach and threatened to race each other up my throat. Every single day I asked myself: _will it be here today?_

"Jamie, sweetheart, is that you?" Mum called as usual when I arrived home from work one afternoon.

"Yeah, it's me," I called back, attempting to shrug my jacket from my shoulders as I wandered down the front hall. "Where are you?"

"In the kitchen." She smiled at me when I emerged through the arch and into her line of sight. "Hey, baby girl. How was work?"

Once my jacket was hanging safely on the back of a kitchen chair, I leaned over to hug her. "It was good. Tiring, but good. Kai had to clean up a spilled orange juice and ended up slipping over. It was funny."

She shook her head with a soft chuckle. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," she said and before I could further the conversation, quickly added, "There's some mail for you on the table."

I blinked in surprise. "Mail? For me?"

She nodded, watching as I turned to retrieve the thick white envelope on the table. The moment I saw the Columbia logo in the corner it felt like my heart had stopped beating.

"It's from Columbia," I whispered.

Mum, who obviously knew where the letter had come from, was at my shoulder in an instant. "Well, come on then, open it!"

My fingers shook as I pulled the lip free of the sticky strip to reveal the papers inside. "I'm not sure I want to see this," I said and leaned back against her for support. She held tight to my shoulders. "Here goes…" With eyes narrowed in nervous concentration I plucked the papers from their confines and stretched them out before my eyes.

_Dear, Miss Stronghold,_

_I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Columbia University in the state of New York…_

I didn't get any further than that before I was running around the kitchen, screaming and laughing with my arms flailing above my head.

x-X-x

I spent a lot of time with Kellen over the next few months, checking and re-checking anything college related. He helped me sort out what I needed to bring – and practically demanded that I buy some thick jackets and jumpers to help get me through the winter months. He was an absolute godsend and now that all the drama had passed, Warren was much warmer around him.

Warren had taken my acceptance remarkably well. While he was still a little nervous about our impending separation he knew that it was what I wanted and I reminded him every day of how much I loved him. He even made an effort to get involved when we spoke about dormitories and timetables.

Will on the other hand was probably the most excited out of everyone; which was saying something considering how giddy mum was. He had decided to put college on hold for a year or two, until he found something he was passionate about. He spoke almost constantly of having an excuse to go to New York for extended periods of time. I promised to hold him to it.

I made sure to call Layla and Magenta when they had time to spare. They were both enjoying their college experience and were overjoyed that I would soon be joining them in the world of extended study. Magenta had her sights set on opening a boutique full of her own designs and from what she told me, that was a very real possibility. She had only been there for a few months and already she was at the top of her class and kicking everyone's asses. I couldn't have been prouder.

"So how are you handling that list I wrote out for you?" Kellen asked during one of our many afternoons of goofing around and not getting anything done.

I sighed and made a dramatic show of stretching out on the couch. "I have a few things left to get, but I'm doing okay. I still don't see how half the things on that list are necessary."

"Trust me, they are." He smiled apologetically, no doubt thinking of the massive list he'd given me of things I needed for college. And we're not talking textbooks. "This won't be like living at home, darling. We're going to be on our own, having to fend for ourselves in the big city."

"I know. You've told me before."

He nodded. "And I'm telling you again. When you leave for college you're also leaving the security of your family. You're going to have to provide for yourself, which means buying your own groceries, organizing your own transportation. Not that you'll have any problems with the latter…" He trailed off with a laugh. "The guys on campus are going to love you on that motorbike."

I grinned. No way in hell was I going to New York without my Ducati. "You're always welcome to go for a spin, Kel."

He grimaced. "No thank you. I won't be getting on that thing anytime soon, especially not with you driving."

"Hey!" I argued. "I'm a good driver!"

He scrunched his nose, but the teasing glimmer in his eyes betrayed his excitement. I'd get him on that bike sooner or later. "All comments on your driving aside, I think you're going to be just fine in New York." He checked his watch and rose from the couch. "Of course, half the reason is because I'll be there to protect you."

"Oh yeah," I deadpanned. "You're all about damsels in distress."

"That's true. But you, my dear, are the furthest thing from a distressed damsel." He took my hand when I rose to stand with him. "But I'll still look out for you. You've become quite precious to me these last few months."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. "Quit trying to get into my pants," I laughed.

He chuckled in my ear and stepped away, offering me his arm as we walked to the front door. "But it's so much fun to tease you." At my playful glare he smiled and backed off. Despite how close we had become, our relationship went no further than a very good friendship. I loved him like a brother.

"So, I hear you and Warren are going away for a few days?" he said as we wandered down the front path to where his car was parked on the curb.

I nodded, my stomach contracting in excitement. Warren and I had both organized to take some time off work to go and visit the summer house again before I left. I had a few weeks left and refused to let them pass without visiting one of my absolute favourite places. Warren was more than happy to oblige. "Yeah, we are. But not for long; I have to make the most of my work shifts while I still have them." I'd been saving ever since I started work and had a rather appealing total in my bank account. I'd heard stories of people struggling with finance during their college years and was determined not to let that happen to me.

"Good girl," he praised and kissed my hand before unlocking his car and sliding into the driver's seat. "Let me know when you're back, okay?"

"Sure." I waved as he pulled away and drove down the street, laughing as he honked the horn before turning a corner and disappearing from sight. Adorable little weirdo.

'**That may be the case, but goddamn he's attractive.'**

'_Not to discredit Warren but I have to agree with her. How that man is still single I'll never know.'_

I chuckled to myself as I wandered back up the path. _Must be a British thing._

x-X-x

I collapsed back onto the bed, my chest heaving and my skin glistening with sweat. "God, I'm going to miss this. Promise you'll come and visit me as soon as you can."

Warren rolled onto his side and traced his fingers down my stomach, his bright eyes focused on my face. I didn't miss the way his naked body trembled in the afternoon sun that slanted in through the glass walls. "If that's what I can expect, I'll fly over there with you."

"I'm sure I'll be incredibly sexually frustrated," I teased before covering my face with my hands. "I don't think I've ever cum so hard in my life."

"Someone's a bit blunt this afternoon," he chuckled, leaning over to kiss my breasts.

I dropped my hands and glared down at him. "You just gave me two of the best orgasms I've ever had. Don't expect me to be witty for another half hour."

His smile radiated triumph and that smug confidence I adored. On anyone else it would have annoyed the shit out of me, but not Warren. Never Warren.

He watched me for a moment and with neither of us in any condition to hold up a decent conversation, we fell into a peaceful silence, cuddling together in the warm afternoon sun. I tried not to think about the fact that I had less than two weeks left before I got on the plane that would take me to New York and the next part of my life. Don't get me wrong, I was incredibly excited, but now that it was getting closer to the actual day of departure… I was getting scared.

"Jamie?" Warren said after a while, noticing the tension in my body as my mind went off on a rather unwanted tangent. "Baby, are you okay?"

I focused on the soft, sated croon of his voice and snuggled in closer. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just…"

"Just…?" he urged, his fingers tracing the length of my spine. A sure fire way to help me relax.

"Just… I can't stop thinking about how I'm leaving in less than two weeks. Leaving my family. Leaving _you._"

His lips touched my forehead and I felt him frown. "But I thought you were excited?"

It was like he could read my mind. "I am, absolutely. But it's like now it's actually starting to sink in that I won't be able to see you every day, or be able to feel your arms around me each night when I go to sleep. I won't be able to joke around with Will or hug my parents when I have breakfast." My throat tightened and I forced the threat of tears down. I promised myself I wouldn't cry. Not until I left.

Warren leaned back to look at me, his brows furrowed as his eyes flashed with pain. "Why didn't you tell me you were scared?"

The irony of the situation was not lost on me. A few months ago Warren was the one who was scared. Now I desperately needed him to be my support. "It's such a silly thing to be scared of."

He pursed his lips and rolled me onto my back, bracing himself above me with his forearms. His fingers tangled themselves into my hair, his thumbs brushing my cheeks. "It's not silly at all. You'll be in New York for the better part of four years, Jay. You're leaving behind everything you know. There's nothing wrong with being scared about that."

I sniffed and pulled him down to me. He pressed his forehead to mine, the tips of our noses brushing as we gazed at each other. "Do you think I'll be okay out there?"

He smiled. "I think you'll be amazing out there." I narrowed my eyes and he breathed out a laugh. "I'm serious." When I didn't respond he took it upon himself to speak again. "Fine. If you won't agree with me, then I want you to promise me something."

"Anything," I whispered.

His eyes were incredibly soft. "I want you to promise me that no matter what happens in New York, you won't let fear rule your life. You're one of the strongest people I know, Jamie. You can do this."

"But what if I can't?" Where was all this doubt coming from?

"You can," he insisted. "And you will. Promise me, baby. No fear."

I took a deep breath. "No fear. I promise."

And with that he closed the distance and kissed me with a passion that continued well into the night.

x-X-x

My fingers plucked at the guitar strings as I sat cross-legged on my bed, eyes intent on the suitcases by the door. It was the night before I left for New York and I was trying not to panic. I'd gone over my checklists and made sure I hadn't forgotten anything - which I hadn't. Now all I had left to do was sit and wait.

I had spent the night downstairs with the rest of my family, playing stupid games, telling stories and just making the most of the time I had left to spend with them. It was hard to miss the mixture of anxiety and excitement concerning my departure, but we tried our best not to emphasize on it. They all knew I wanted to enjoy tonight, and enjoy it I did.

But at the same time it reminded me of just how much I was going to miss them.

After mum and dad went to bed I took a few minutes to wander around the house and take everything in. The feel of the wall under my fingers, the long hallway, that one creaky step on the staircase, the way the moonlight hit you right in the eyes when you walked out into the backyard at night. This was all I knew; tomorrow night I'd be sleeping in an unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar city.

I missed a cord and the sound jolted me back into the present. Stress and anxiety battled for supremacy inside me and I reached up to rub my tired eyes, startled by the wetness I felt against my palms. When did I start crying?

'_Come on, sweetheart,' _L soothed, her voice full of concern. _'It'll be okay. There's nothing wrong with being scared.'_

_I know, _I replied. _But it feels like it's eating away at me. What if I didn't make the right choice?_

'**You can't let the what ifs rule your life, kid. Otherwise you'll be too scared to do absolutely anything.' **D was just as patient with me as her counterpart. **'Remember when you got your Columbia letter?'**

I smiled a little through my tears, remembering the way I'd run through the house like an absolute lunatic. _Yes, I remember._

'**Remember how excited you were?'**

_Yes._

'**Now tell me; how can something that makes you so happy be a bad thing?'**

I thought about it for a moment and let my hands fall limp against the guitar. _I hate it when you're right._

'**It's not the first time and certainly won't be the last.'**

L chuckled to herself. _'And don't forget, Jamie, you won't be doing this alone. We'll be right there with you.'_

_Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I think the reality of the situation is finally starting to sink in and safe to say it's freaking me out a bit._

'**No biggie, dude. Don't forget that we're here for you.'**

'_No matter what.'_

It was a good thing I was already crying because their words made me want to bawl my eyes out. I wiped my eyes and was about to respond to their soothing croons when a soft rap on the door interrupted me. I shot a quick glance at my bedside clock and frowned; 10:30. Warren had to work a late shift tonight and wouldn't sneak in through my window for another hour, so the only other person it could be was someone who I had assumed was already asleep.

"Come in," I called, making sure I didn't raise my voice too loud.

The door cracked a bit and Will poked his head in. "Would you mind some company for a little while?"

I smiled and felt my heart contract with endless affection for my twin brother. "Of course not. Get over here."

His expression smoothed out in relief and I shuffled over to make room for him beside me on the bed. He flopped down onto his back and stretched his arms out above his head. "Can't sleep?" he asked, turning his head to look at me.

I grimaced. "Afraid not. What about you?"

He pulled a face in response. "I keep waking up, so I thought I'd come and spend some time with you."

I pat his leg and after placing my guitar on the ground, fell onto my back beside him. "That's really sweet, Will, thanks. I could definitely use the company; my own thoughts aren't helping me any."

He chuckled and we descended into a comfortable silence. It was amazing what his presence alone could do to calm my nerves. Truth be told, I had missed him terribly these last few weeks. I had worried that we were drifting away from each other, so to have the chance to reconnect after all this stress was very much a welcome opportunity.

I stared up at the ceiling for a minute or two and was convinced that Will had fallen asleep when he decided to speak. "Are you scared?" His voice was a croaky whisper, rough with exhaustion.

My heartbeat skipped. "Terrified."

Without the need for encouragement he reached over and took my hand, not afraid to squeeze hard. Neither one of us would break, even though it felt like I was about to. "It's okay to be scared," he said.

I let out a weak, breathy laugh. "That's not the first time I've heard that today."

"I'm sure." His hand was warm and incredibly familiar. I held tighter. "I know I'm a little awkward when it comes to displaying affection to anyone apart from Layla, but I really want you to know how proud I am of you, Jay."

My eyes stung. "Will…"

"No, I'm serious." He turned his head and our eyes met, almost the exact same shade of blue. "I'm so proud of you. You've gone and gotten yourself accepted to one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, and you did it without anyone's help. I'm in awe of you. Of everything you've done." His eyes shone in the darkness. "Never ever forget how proud I am. Even when you're thousands of miles away. You're not just my sister, Jamie. You're my best friend and I love you more than anything else in the world."

It seemed as though my promise not to cry until I left was going to be broken a hundred times before I even got to the airport as, without another word, I abruptly broke down and curled into my brother's strong embrace. He held me tightly, his cheek against the top of my head as I buried my face in his shirt.

"Don't underestimate yourself," he whispered into my hair. "You're going to kick ass in New York. I know it."

I let out a strained laugh and listened to the sound of his heart. "It's going to be hard without you."

"I'll never be far away."

x-X-x

The airport check-in was surprisingly busy for so early in the morning. Names were constantly being called over the intercom for final boarding calls and the sound of wheels rolling over the dips in the tiles was like a constant rattle in the back of my mind. Warren stood beside me in the long line of people waiting to check in, his fingers wrapped around the handle of one of my suitcases. I was taking the necessities with me on this trip; the rest would be brought to New York by a small moving truck that was set to arrive later in the week.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as we shuffled forward. Two more people to go and then it was my turn.

I glanced at him and tried to muster up an encouraging smile despite the butterflies in my stomach. "Nervous. It's a bit surreal, to be honest."

He chuckled and leaned in to kiss my temple as I bounced on the balls of my feet. The drive to the airport had been one of the longest trips of my life. I spent the majority of it trying to relax and not freak the hell out about the fact that in less than an hour I'd be on a plane to New York. Once I arrived I would organize for a cab to take me to Columbia where I'd start the first day of my new life.

I swallowed at the thought, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat.

"Next."

I looked up and realized with a jolt that it was my turn to check-in. Warren followed me to the front desk and waited patiently as I gave the woman at the computer my details and flight information. She asked the usual questions: if I'd like a window seat, whether I had any dangerous substances in my bags. I answered each one with a voice that I only just managed to keep from shaking, and when she handed me my ticket and told me to have a good flight I gave her a small smile and wandered back to the group of people waiting for me near the terminal entrance.

"All set?" mum asked as we joined them, her hands clasped under her chin.

I nodded and shifted the strap of my carry-on bag higher up my shoulder. "Yep. Everything's sorted."

"When do you board, sweetheart?" Michelle asked as we made our way through the metal detectors and into the busy terminal.

I fished my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. "Um, half an hour," I said, flinching at the crack in my voice. I cleared my throat and reached over to take Warren's hand.

"Don't be nervous," she continued, shooting me a bright, encouraging smile. "Flying is fun."

"Yeah, and look at the bright side," Will added. "If the plane crashes you can just fly the rest of the way yourself."

I glared at him. "Thanks, Will. That makes me feel so much better."

He grinned.

I shook my head with a soft laugh. I'd miss his silliness.

It didn't take us long to find my boarding gate, but seeing as I had some time before they started calling us up we sat down in a free row of chairs and tried to strike up a conversation to help me take my mind off things.

"I remember the first time Warren went on a plane," Michelle said. "He was about a year and a half old and we were flying to Florida to visit my aunt. The poor little thing hated take-off, mainly because of the blocked ears. Anyway, when the plane was up in the air he started squealing and no matter what I did I couldn't get him to stop."

"Couldn't handle the cabin pressure, eh Warren?" Will teased, ducking away from Warren's swatting hand.

"Actually, Will, you can't talk," mum spoke up with a sly smile on her face. "The first time you were on a plane you cried so much during a bout of turbulence that you threw up. Thankfully it was on your father."

Dad pulled a face. "I remember that."

The image of dad covered in baby vomit was enough to get me giggling and for the next ten minutes mum and dad competed with Michelle on who had the best vomit story. Mum ended up winning with a story of Will throwing up after he had too many frosted cupcakes as a toddler.

"Never before in my life have I seen such colourful vomit," she said with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Gross," I laughed, turning my face into Warren's shoulder in an attempt to block out the image. "I'm scared I'm going to remember all this if you keep talking about it."

"The only downside to that story is that I wouldn't mind a cupcake now," Will said, craning his neck to glance around the terminal. "Do they have any good bakeries in here?"

I dropped my head into my hands and was about to remind him of how disgusting he was when a woman's voice echoed out from the overhead speakers, cheerfully requesting that all passengers on the next flight out to New York begin to make their way to the boarding gate.

My heart stopped.

Warren's head whipped around when he heard my strangled inhale and in an instant he was off his chair and kneeling in front of me. "Come on, baby, it's okay," he soothed, his eyes full of pain. "This is exciting."

It was exciting, but it was terrifying at the same time. "Warren," I whimpered, my throat tight. I didn't want to cry. Not yet. But I knew I would.

"Deep breath," he urged, smiling when I inhaled so deeply it felt like my lungs were going to burst. "That's it. Now come on, you need to say goodbye otherwise you're going to miss your flight." It took a moment, but the shock of my impending departure wore off and I was able to stand and totter over to my parents.

Dad's arms were around me in an instant. I would miss his strong, comforting embrace. "You're going to be just fine," he said in my ear and I detected the rough edge in his voice that betrayed his attempt at concealing his emotions. "Call us when you land, okay?"

I nodded and leaned back to look up at him. "Promise you'll come and visit me soon?" My voice was weak and shaky, but no tears fell.

He smiled. "Absolutely. Whenever you need us, just call and we'll be there." He pulled me in for another hug before tipping my chin up with his fingers. "Now, where's that smile I love so much?"

It took a great deal of effort but I soon managed to give him a bright smile. "I'll miss you, daddy," I croaked.

His face twisted and he took a deep breath. "I'll miss you, too, Jamie. You take care of yourself out there. And remember to have fun." He kissed my forehead and passed me over to my already blubbering mother.

"Mum," I laughed weakly at her red, splotchy face and pulled her into my arms. "Don't cry, it's okay."

"Oh, my baby," she sniffled, burying her face in my hair. "Remember to pay attention in class and not to stay out too late, and make sure you study hard and make lots of new friends. And always write a list when you do your grocery shopping; you don't want to forget anything. And –"

"Mum," I interrupted, leaning back and putting my hands on her shoulders. "I'll be fine."

She nodded, tears racing each other down to her chin. "I know. I know you will, sweetheart. Oh, I'm so proud of you."

My eyes stung and I held her to me with a desperation that surprised me. No girl wanted to be separated from her mother. She was your rock, your source of comfort and encouragement when you were upset and struggling. It was going to be hard for me to cope without her. "I love you," I told her.

Her arms tightened around me. "I love you, too, my darling. Remember that we're just a phone call away. Whatever you need; even if it's three in the morning and you just want to talk, you call, okay?"

"Okay," I said, although I had no intention of interrupting her sleep to chat. "I'll be home for the holidays, you remember that. Just a few months and I'll be home."

She nodded and kissed both my cheeks before retreating into dad's arms. He smiled at me as he pat her back and gently shushed her.

Michelle was a bit stronger than mum, but she still shed a few tears when I hugged her and promised to call when I was all settled. "If you're ever in town for an art show, give me a call," I teased.

She laughed. "Absolutely. You can show me around town."

I smiled. "I'd love that."

"Now remember," she continued. "You have fun over there, okay? This is an exciting time for you and I want you to make the most of it. I'm looking forward to hearing about everything you get up to."

"Study, study, more study and probably a bit of drinking," I laughed.

Her eyes sparkled. "Atta girl."

Next were the two goodbyes I was dreading. Will's eyes were red but he had yet to shed a tear. I gave him an understanding smile and stepped into his arms, wrapping my own around his neck and holding him tight. "I'll miss you," I told him.

He let out a shaky breath. "I know. I'll miss you, too. Like I said last night, you're going to kick ass over there. You own it, okay?"

I laughed. "Okay."

He eventually leaned back to look at me, flinching at the sound of the second boarding call. I had about five minutes before I had to join the line. "It's going to be weird without you around."

"No kidding. Who am I going to pick on?" I asked, giggling as he attempted to put me in a headlock.

"Oh well. Maybe I'll take your bike for a spin before we send it over."

"Don't you dare." I glared and he held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sure Warren will take you for a ride if you ask nicely."

He grimaced. "Thanks, but no thanks. He's a good friend but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with cuddling him from behind while he drives around town."

I had to admit, the mental image was odd. "Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm away," I warned and quickly pulled him into my arms again. "Take care of yourself."

"Same to you," he said. "I'll talk to you when you land."

I kissed his forehead and with one last smile, turned to say goodbye to the one person I wasn't sure I could leave behind.

Warren watched me warily, his eyes bright and shining with sadness. He held his arms open for me and I practically collapsed into him, struggling like mad to keep the tears at bay. We stood there for a long time, swaying back and forth, not saying a word. I inhaled his strong, masculine scent with just a hint of campfire smoke and felt my chest ache with grief. Thankfully he'd given me a few of his shirts to wear to bed or whenever I was feeling homesick. I knew I'd be picking up a few more when I came back to visit.

Warren eventually leaned back and cupped my face in his hands, dipping his head down to press his forehead against mine. "I'm going to miss you so much, baby," he whispered.

He rubbed his nose gently against mine and my heart felt like it would shatter into a million pieces.

"I don't want to leave you," I breathed, hiccupping as I forced down a sob. "I don't think I can do this, Warren."

"You can," he insisted, his voice pained. "You can and you will. You're going to be incredible over there, Jay. I know it."

"Not without you."

"Hey, don't be like that. You put a lot of effort into this. You've _earned _it. Don't let fear and sadness hold you back."

I sniffed and nuzzled my nose against his cheek.

"What did I get you to promise me, Jamie," he said. "Tell me. What did you promise me?"

"No fear," I whispered, closing my eyes to stop the tears from falling.

"That's right. No fear." He pressed his hands against my back and pulled me in close. "No fear," he repeated. "I have every faith in you, baby."

"I love you." I was becoming desperate, doubting my every decision to leave. I knew, however, that it was all born from fear and the unwillingness to leave the people I loved.

"I love you, too," he echoed. "So much." He kissed my cheek and met my eyes. "Remember this: _If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars."_

"Tagore," I said absentmindedly. "_Stray Birds, _right?"

"That's right."

"You and your poetry. You're such a nerd." He chuckled and I reveled in the sound. "Is that your way of saying that if I spend all my time missing you I'll forget to enjoy the whole college experience?"

"Something along those lines, yes." I watched as he looked past my shoulder at the line of passengers waiting to board. "You should get over there."

I shook my head and held him tighter. "I don't want to leave you."

"And I don't want you to leave, but Jamie, we're going to be okay. We'll get through this. I promise you, we'll be okay. I'm not going to stop loving you; you're going to have a great time in New York. I'll miss you every day, but we'll be fine."

"I love you," I said again, my voice shaking.

"I love you," he replied and finally pressed his lips to mine. I held him close, sliding my fingers through his hair and focusing on the sweetness of his tongue, the soft warmth of his lips, the heat of his breath in my mouth. I would remember this until I got to kiss him again. "Now go on."

I nodded and after stepping away from him, shifted my bag back up on my shoulder and waved to the rest of my family before walking over to the end of the line.

It was literally one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. Every step took monumental effort, every inch of distance that grew between Warren and I felt like another knife being lodged in my stomach. It was pain; pure agony. I paused a few metres from the line, my head down, whole body trembling.

_Is it okay with you if I…?_

D chuckled. **'Go ahead.'**

Without a second thought I dropped my bag, turned around and ran back to Warren. He looked up when I was a few steps away and only just managed to catch me as I launched myself into his arms. I was making a scene but I couldn't care less. I was going to miss him like crazy.

"I'll miss you," I sobbed into his shoulder, not even bothering to try and hold the tears back anymore. I let them flow, enjoying the release they brought me. "Don't forget me, okay?"

"Never," he whispered. "I love you, Jamie."

I leaned back and looked at him through tear filled eyes. "I love you more."

He shook his head. "Not possible," he said and wrapped his fingers around the back of my neck before pulling me in for a passionate kiss.

I clung to him, pouring my heart and soul into the kiss. I didn't care that I had my arms and legs wrapped tight around him, I didn't care that people were staring and muttering. All that mattered was him and how much we loved each other.

My lips were red and swollen when we managed to break apart and Warren stared at them for a long time before meeting my eyes. "No fear," he whispered.

I nodded. "No fear," I promised and kissed him gently again.

He smiled and set me down. "Go have fun."

I smiled through my tears and hugged him one last time before walking back to where my bag was still sitting on the floor. People whistled and smiled to themselves as I joined the line and try as I might, I couldn't keep my cheeks from flushing. It didn't take me long to get to the desk and the woman scanned my card with a knowing smile before handing it back to me. "Have a good flight, miss."

"Thank you," I said and looked back over my shoulder at my parents, my brother, Michelle and the man I loved more than anything. I blew them a kiss and waved, smiling as they all waved back. Some were still crying, but they all looked at me with such love and pride that I couldn't help but get excited for what was waiting for me in New York.

And so, with a deep breath and one last wave goodbye, I took the first few steps towards the rest of my life.

* * *

**My baby is all grown up.. *sniff***

**This story has taken these characters on a huge emotional journey, so it's really special for me to see them emerging stronger and more aware of who they are. I've been writing Jamie for over four years now and I couldn't be prouder of her. She's come so far.**

**Well, that's pretty much it for the main story. We've just got the epilogue to go, and then whatever outtakes I decide to write afterwards :)**

**So, how are you feeling? A little emotional? Need a hug? Come on over here. *snuggles***

**I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	11. Epilogue

**After four years in the making, we've finally reached the end of this series. I can't quite believe it.**

**I'll save all the mushy, emotional stuff for down the bottom ;)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: ************************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Eleven  
Epilogue**_

_Seven Years Later._

I leaned back in my chair and raised a hand to rub at the tight spot in my neck. My eyes were starting to hurt from staring at the computer screen for so long. "What do you say, Mags," I said, rolling my head in a slow circle. "Think I can get away with a quick break?"

The eight month old Husky stared at me for a long moment before opening his mouth to let out a large yawn. His sister, curled up on the ground beside him, didn't move a muscle.

I smiled and rose from my seat. "I'll take that as a yes."

Seeing that I planned to walk around for a bit, Magnus - tiredness forgotten - hopped to his feet and plodded along after me as I left my study and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. I stretched my arm down and rubbed the top of his head as he pressed against my leg. Warren and I had adopted Magnus and his sister, Bear, from a local animal shelter when they were eight weeks old and they were by far the cutest animals on the planet.

I cracked open the fridge door and rummaged around for something to eat while Mags sat beside me and whined. I peeked at him over my shoulder. "What? Your dad fed you before he left; quit complaining." He whined again and since I was such a pushover I reached into the fridge and pulled out some leftover chicken from the night before. "Fine, you and your sister can finish this off. Bear!" I yelled. "Come get some food!"

No less than five seconds later did I hear Bear's paws slapping against the floor as she sprinted down the hallway and almost crashed into her brother in her excitement. These two were all about food. They waited patiently as I pulled the chicken apart and placed it into two separate bowls before urging them to follow me out into the backyard.

After they ate I sat down on a chair under the patio and watched them chase each other around the spacious backyard. Even though we had been living here for the last two years, it was still strange to think that Warren and I were homeowners. It seemed like it was just yesterday that I was boarding that plane to New York.

So much had happened since then.

My four years in New York were some of the best of my life. It was such a wonderfully exciting city and to be able to wander the streets and discover so many amazing things day in and day out was an opportunity I would remain forever grateful for. And while college had been fun, it was by no means an easy road. I attended lectures and workshops almost every day and when I wasn't in a class I was studying or catching up on sleep. I made some great friends during my time there, many of which I still kept in touch with.

I still remembered the shock that had rippled through me when Warren called one night to let me know that he'd been accepted to study Literature at Vassar University, no less than an hour and a half drive from Columbia. The little shit had kept it a surprise until he knew for sure that he'd been accepted; three months later he was in New York with me. I hadn't realized until we were within a reasonable distance of each other just how much I'd missed him, and if I hadn't had classes to attend I would have locked him away in his dorm room and not let him leave until I'd had my fill of him. However, that wasn't the case and the two of us once again had to sort out some kind of balance. I wasn't able to see him every day but it was comforting to know that I could hop on my bike and go visit him if I really needed to.

Warren wasn't the only one to join the flock of people going off to college. Ethan got accepted to MIT and was soon off studying like a pro while Zach scored a scholarship to a college in Chicago – which Maj loved – studying lighting and engineering.

Will was the only one of us who decided not to go to college. He told me that he had no real desire to do further study if there was nothing he was passionate about. He joined mum and dad in the real estate business for a while but soon found his calling as a personal trainer.

It didn't take long for Layla to develop a slight obsession with his toned physique.

By the time I earned my degree I was more than ready to head back home. As much as I loved New York, I was ready to be back with my family. Everyone finished studying around the same time but not all of us left for home straight away. I stayed in New York for another three months after I graduated before hopping a plane back to Maxville. Warren and Ethan were the last to make it home but they were just as welcome as the rest of us.

Safe to say our parents were happy to have us back.

Trying to settle back into a regular, relatively stress-free lifestyle had been a bit tricky at first. My body was used to getting up insanely early, so sleeping in had been high on my priority list. I got a job at a local music store and set out to enjoy my life as a young adult.

A sharp bark jolted me from my memories and I looked down to find Bear sitting in front of me with her favourite squeaky ball at her feet. How long had I been staring off into space?

"Sorry, baby," I crooned and scratched behind her ear, smiling to myself as she leaned her head to the side to help me find the right spot. While I had her sufficiently distracted I reached down, grabbed the ball and threw it right up the back of the yard. It took her a while to notice but when she did she was off like a bullet, barking at Magnus and practically shoving him out of the way when he tried to get to the ball before her.

I shook my head and rose from the seat, intent on getting back to work now that I had taken a break. The dogs continued to play outside as I wandered back down the hall to my study. My eyes followed the trail of photos hung up on the wall and I smiled at the one of my brother at his wedding, Layla's barely-there baby bump hidden remarkably well by her simple dress.

They had been the first to get married. Will proposed to Layla three months after she returned home from college and they tied the knot six months later. It had been small and simple but still absolutely gorgeous. Layla had gotten pregnant two months before they were set to get married but thankfully she wasn't showing enough that she couldn't wear the dress she had already picked out. Seven months later she gave birth to her adorable twin boys, Noah and Gale. She was currently pregnant with their third child; a girl who had yet to be named.

Surprisingly enough, Warren and I were the next to get married. He took me up to the summer house to mark a year since we graduated college and as we were walking through the forest one afternoon, he dropped down onto one knee and asked me to marry him. Seeing as we had gotten engaged there it was only right that we were married in the beautiful forest surrounding the summer house. We ended up jetting off to Hawaii for our honeymoon – courtesy of mum and dad – and on our return found out that they had also bought us a rather large block of land ten minutes out of town and when we were ready, they would pay for us to build whatever kind of house we wanted.

Yeah. That really happened.

Also, as a belated wedding present, Michelle gave Warren and me the keys to the summer house. When I insisted that it was too much she laughed it off and said we'd put it to much better use than she would.

True to their word, once Warren and I had decided on what kind of house we wanted, construction began. We now lived in a beautiful two storey house on a small hill on the outskirts of town surrounded by lush forest and a view that went on for days.

Once we were settled into our new home – and after christening each room over one amazing weekend – Warren and I set out to make a living for ourselves. It was no easy task, but thanks to the help of Dana and Zane - who were now pros in the business of starting out new companies and independent stores – we were able to open our very own bookstore. It started out slow, but after a suggestion from Michelle to turn it into a bookstore/coffee shop we set out to renovate and business boomed soon after. The very best part was that I strong-armed Warren into letting me call it _The Reading Room._

My original idea was _Books, Books, More Books & Some Coffee If You're Thirsty._

But Warren vetoed me on it.

Working with books without a doubt put the two of us in our element and yet I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. As much as I loved our little bookstore, it wasn't quite what I had imagined for myself. I was a writer. I should be writing.

'**And as soon as you got Warren's seal of approval you practically holed yourself away for the next six months.'**

I snorted, pulled once again from the relaxing ebb and flow of my memories. "That's not entirely true," I said out loud as I sat down at my desk and wiggled my mouse to get off the screensaver. "Those six months consisted of writers block, sex and spinning around on my chair while talking to myself in a British accent."

'_Don't forget staring off into space,' _L added. _'You did that a lot.'_

"That's because you two would start going on about nothing and it distracted me."

'**Like right now?'**

I smiled but didn't answer. You'd think the two of them would have changed over the last seven years but in all honesty they were exactly the same as they had been before. It seemed as though _I_ was the one who had to grow up.

After a few minutes of browsing the internet I re-opened my word document and got back to what I had been working on before I went out the back with the dogs. I couldn't help but smile at the screen as my fingers typed out paragraph after paragraph of description, dialogue and all around awesomeness. My hard work eventually paid off, for after sending out dozens of queries I landed an absolute gem of an agent who soon helped me get a publishing deal with a very popular company and soon my very first novel was up on the shelves, including the ones in my own bookstore.

To my surprise and complete and utter elation, it ended up on the New York Times best seller list and the company quickly signed me on to continue the series. Fueled by my love of writing and the feeling that I was finally doing what I had been put on this earth to do, I set out to write the next book. It had taken a few months but I had just a few chapters left before it was done and then I could start the harrowing task of first, second and no doubt third revisions.

Just as I finished a lengthy bit of dialogue the sound of barking rang through the house like thunder and I smiled as I caught the familiar rumble of a motorbike. Warren was home.

I met him at the front door and squealed as he pulled me into his arms and caught my lips in a hard, passionate kiss. "Hello, my sexy wife," he murmured when we parted, leading me back inside and kicking the door closed behind him. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," I said, my eyes roaming over his face. He'd only been gone a few hours but I had missed him terribly. Even after seven years I still fell in love with him a little more every day. He hadn't really changed much. After his first year in New York he decided to cut his hair, much to my surprise and, at first, despair. But the short, sticky-uppy hairdo worked wonders on him and if possible, made him even sexier than before. I loved to run my fingers through it and feeling it brush against my thighs when he crawled down my body at night was the most wonderful sensation. "Dana called today," I continued, my voice a little rough as my thoughts went up, up and away. "She wanted to know if we'd like to have dinner with her and Zane tomorrow night. Apparently little Alex has been asking about us." Dana and Zane's two year old daughter – whom I had been appointed godmother of - was an absolute treasure and apart from my nephews, one of the sweetest kids I had ever met.

Although I had a feeling that when Zach and Maj eventually decided to have a child it would be, without a doubt, one of the wittiest kids in the world. Maj was busy designing her new fashion line while Zach worked on lighting for a big action movie. Ethan, on the other hand, had just gotten engaged to a sweet girl named Rebecca whom he met at a conference in San Francisco last year.

We all had our own busy lives now, but we never lost touch with each other. I doubted anything could ever break apart such a strong group of friends.

"Jamie," Warren chuckled in my ear and I blinked at him, realizing I had once again gotten lost in my musings. "What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?"

I laughed and shook my head in an attempt to clear it. "Sorry. I've been doing quite a bit of reminiscing this afternoon. I think I've gone into memory overload."

He grinned. "Silly girl. And yes, dinner with Dana and Zane tomorrow is perfectly fine. Do you feel up to going out?"

I nodded. "Of course. I'm not as fragile as you might think, thank you very much. Besides, I could use a night out with some friends."

"I'm sure you could. You've been cooped up in that cave of yours for God knows how long."

"Hey," I warned him, reaching out to poke his annoyingly firm chest. "Don't mock The Cave."

"My apologies," he teased and kissed me gently before stepping away. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have some rather important business to attend to." And without another word he dropped to his knees before me.

"And what might that be?" I asked, curling my fingers into his hair. I loved when he did this.

He glanced up at me and smiled as he lifted the material of my shirt up over my swollen stomach. "I have to say hello to the little one," he said and looked down at my six-month pregnant belly. His eyes were soft and oh so very tender. He was going to be an amazing father. "Hello baby," he whispered against my skin. "Daddy missed you and your mummy very much today. I hope you didn't give her too much trouble?"

"A few kicks," I informed him. "Nothing too severe."

He nodded and kissed my stomach. "I love you very much, little one, and can't wait to meet you." After a few more kisses and murmured words he lowered my shirt back down and stood up, cupping my face in his warm hands. "I love you, Jamie Peace," he whispered, his eyes shining like they always did when he heard my last name. I barely noticed the dogs as they danced around us, wagging their tails so hard that their bottoms shook.

I smiled. "I love you, too," I whispered and pulled him down for a kiss.

Never in all my life had I imagined that things would turn out so wonderfully for me. But despite everything, all the struggles and heartaches that I had gone through, I had come out stronger and with much more appreciation for what I had. And I would make sure that our child knew just how much he, or she, was loved.

After all, everyone deserved to be loved. Everyone deserved to be happy. And while I couldn't speak for everyone in the world, I knew that our house would always be full of love and happiness.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

_The End._

* * *

**And there you have it.**_  
_

**Writing this chapter was such a surreal experience for me. I had been writing this series for so long that I honestly thought it would never end. Delving into their future lives and knowing that everything worked out okay gave me the most amazing sense of closure and while I got emotional, writing those last two words brought me so much happiness :) I've said it before, but I'm so proud of Jamie and everything she's done. She very much deserves to be happy.**

**This story wouldn't be what it is without my lovely girls, Libby, Miserlou, Luli, Ruby and Liz. You are the best cheer squad any writer could ever ask for :) You've stuck with me all these years (for reasons I cannot understand) and I feel very lucky to have met such wonderful people. So thank you.**

**But as great as those girls are, none of this would have happened without my lovely Anna. You held my hand throughout this entire writing experience, calmed me down when I got upset and squealed with me when I wrote all the fun parts ;) You know Jamie as well as I do, and you know how much we both cherish you. And Warren, of course. He loves you. I don't thank you enough and even if I thanked you a million times over, it still wouldn't show how grateful I am for everything you've done. This series brought us together, and it was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. Thank you. For everything. I love you.**

**And of course, I have to thank all you lovely readers :) Whether you were here from the very beginning or started late, I love you all very much. Your kind, silly (and quite often pervy) words have made this whole experience so much fun. I've made such great friends through this whole ordeal. I hope I continue to hear from you :)**

**Okay. I promise that's all the mushy stuff.**

**Remember how I said I planned to write a whole heap of outtakes? I want to know what it is you want to see. They won't be outtakes so much as futuretakes. Glimpses into Jamie and Warren's future, their kids and stuff like that. I have things planned already, but what do you want me to write? The wedding? A bit of Jamie's college life? Are there any scenes from this story you'd like written in Warren's POV? How about fade-to-blacks you want written in full? Let me know! There's still a lot of fun to be had :)**

**Oh! One more thing. Because I've been writing this series for so long, I'm not very happy with the earlier stories. I want to go back and rework the first three installments. Nothing huge, just fixing grammatical errors, smoothing stuff out and changing a little detail or two. Would you mind at all if I did that?**

**Well, that's pretty much it. Don't forget that Anna and I are still working on Pulvis which should hopefully be up in a few months time. If you want to be notified when that's up and running, feel free to subscribe to our joint account x-KarenxMarie-x. **

**And while this series may be over, I don't think I'll ever be done with Jamie and Warren. I have a lot of cool new stories planned for them, so put me on alert if you want to know when they're up. And of course, if you'd like to read the upcoming outtakes, pop this story on alert :)**

**Okay. I've officially been going on forever so I'm going to wrap this up. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your love and support over the last few years. I couldn't have done this without you. Remember that I'm always on Twitter (BlueWinterAngel) if you want to say hello or find out what I'm up to. Oh! And if you'd like to see Jamie and Warren's house or any other cool stuff from this story, hop on over to the photo gallery.**

**Until next time, I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**Take care :)**

**xx**


	12. Outtake: New York, New York

**It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's BWA! *flies* *loses control* *crashes into a bush***

**.. I'm okay! And better yet, I'm back with an outtake! I honestly didn't think it'd take me this long to get this one written, but it ended up being quite the challenge. I haven't been to college, so I know very little about what life is like there. Thankfully, I have plenty of friends who are currently attending college and university, and was able to get a few ideas from them. It's not much, but I'm happy with it. This is basically a collection of snippets from Jamie's college life. There's no structure, and a very weak timeline, but it's the best I could come up with ;) I'm happy to write another part to this if you guys can think of more college stuff you'd like to see - I have an idea of another outtake I'd like to write during her college years, so there's that to look forward to. **

**Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you read, seeing as I've been keeping this hostage for so long. More info down the bottom! Enjoy!**

******Disclaimer: ************************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

The common room was full of noise as I arrived back from my last class of the day. I hadn't really done much and yet I felt like a zombie, shuffling through the halls with my bag slung lazily over my shoulder and headphones shoved firmly in my ears. I spotted a few friends as I passed the collection of couches in the centre of the room, but only had enough energy to wave as I continued on down the hall to my room. And by down the hall I mean up two flights of stairs. My legs were burning by the time I reached the door to my room.

Audrey, my roommate, looked up as I slammed the door behind me and threw my bag on the couch as I passed it. She was seated at the table, laptop humming in front of her. "There you are," she greeted cheerfully. "How was class?"

"Exhausting," I replied, ruffling her hair as I passed her on my way to our small kitchen. I could really go for some chocolate right about now. "We need to do a grocery shop, don't we?" I asked, pulling the fridge door open and grimacing at our dismal supplies.

"Yeah," Audrey called back, sounding a little guilty. "I would have gone earlier but I totally forgot about an essay I had to write. It's due Monday and I've only just started."

I chuckled and grabbed the bottle of Coke from the inside of the door. "Good luck with that," I teased, dodging the pencil she threw when I was within her line of sight. "Don't worry about the shopping," I continued, pouring myself a glass of the fizzing beverage. "I'll get Kellen to go with me tomorrow. I only have a morning class, so my afternoon is completely free."

She smiled gratefully as I walked back into the room and flopped down onto the couch, careful not to spill my drink. "Thanks, Jamie. You're a lifesaver."

I grinned. "No worries. Write a list of whatever you want me to get. If you need tampons I promise to make Kellen get them. He's such a little bitch with girly things." Call me horrible, but I found it hilarious to watch him squirm and stutter when I had to pick up feminine products. I always made it up to him, though, usually in the form of food.

"No prob," she said and rose from her seat, stretching her arms high above her head. "I think that's enough writing for now." She wandered over and joined me on the couch. "So, any word from Warren today?"

I took a sip of my drink and nodded. "He called me this morning. He says hello, by the way." Audrey beamed and I felt myself relax into the couch. I'd been at college for six months now and while I loved it, it was hard to be away from my family and the man I loved. They came to visit when they could, Will especially. He had flown over a few times – and not by plane – when I had a free weekend, the two of us wreaking havoc on poor, unsuspecting New York City. Warren and I Skyped often, although it was hard to find time when our schedules often found themselves cluttered and full. I had gone back home for the Christmas break, but being around that wonderful family unit just served to remind me of what I was leaving behind. I shed many a tear when I had to come back to New York after the holidays.

"What do you feel like for dinner?" Audrey asked, somewhat out of the blue, rubbing a hand over her flat stomach. "I could go for pizza. Or Chinese food. Ooooh, Chinese." Her eyes widened at the prospect and I laughed. Something told me she'd love The Paper Lantern.

"Chinese sounds good to me," I agreed and she squealed, rising from the couch to get her phone. You'd think we never ate Chinese food if her reaction was anything to go by, when in truth we had it almost every fortnight. They knew us by name there, now.

I had gotten very lucky with Audrey. She was one of the first people I met when I first arrived here, nervous and unwilling to leave Kellen's side for more than a few minutes in fear that I'd get lost among the huge buildings. Her personality was as bright as her flaming red hair and green eyes, so it was very easy for me to befriend her. She was also one of the only people here who knew of my powers. Not that there weren't plenty of supers here, but I tried to keep my talents on the down low, not wanting to attract too much attention. Kellen, on the other hand, used his powers almost every day. Show off.

When I had told Audrey of my powers – she had been suspicious for a while – she had informed me that a few of her cousins went to Sky High. She wasn't a super, but she was well used to being around people who were. Kellen eventually told her of his powers and proceeded to use them on her whenever he came to visit, which was pretty much every day. She hardly complained, though. In fact, I was pretty sure she had a little crush on him.

While Audrey ordered our dinner and then proceeded to countdown the minutes until it arrived, I retrieved my laptop and flopped back down onto the couch, taking some time to check my emails and see what was happening on Facebook. It had taken a while, but Maj and Layla eventually convinced me to join the Social Networking site. I hadn't really had a need for it before, but now that I was so far away from everyone, it came in very handy. If only Will would stop sending me those game requests…

I leaned my head back against the arm of the couch and sighed, my eyes straying to the ceiling. Despite the stress and sleep deprivation, college was wonderful. I'd only been here a few months but I already felt so much more independent and sure of myself. I had great friends and was living in such a vibrant, busy city; what reason did I have to complain?

No less than ten minutes later did we hear a knock at the door, Audrey leaping from her chair at the sound. She shimmied and danced her way to the door while I rose to follow her. When it came to food, she was easily the female equivalent of my brother. "You're an idiot."

She opened the door, paid for our dinner and handed me a bag. "You love me."

I chuckled. "When you bring me food? Always."

x-X-x

I kept to the sidewalk as I made my way down the busy street, the hood of my jacket protecting my hair from the pounding rain. It had been cloudy and miserable all day, and yet it only decided to rain when I left the house without an umbrella. Thankfully the walk to my destination wasn't a long one.

Kellen looked up from his phone as the bell above the door jingled with my entry, a sympathetic smile tugging at his full lips as he took in my rain splattered clothes. I shoved the hood back and shook my hair out, letting the scent of coffee beans and pastry fill my nose. How was it possible that Starbucks always smelled so good? "How was the walk?" he asked as I sat down at his table.

I shrugged. "It was alright. I could have gone without the rain, though."

He chuckled. "I told you to ride with me, but you refused. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"Yeah, alright. Don't go getting all smug; I'm in no mood to deal with your overly inflated ego," I grumbled.

He grinned. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Perhaps a gift will put me back in your good graces?" He raised his eyebrows at me and carefully slid a steaming cup of coffee toward me. I couldn't help but smile at the little love heart he'd drawn on it. "Hmm," I mused before taking a sip of the hot drink. Stupid boy knew just how I liked my coffee. "You're forgiven."

"Of course I am," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You can never stay mad at me."

"Don't push your luck," I warned before raising the cup to my mouth again. The warmth of the drink spread through my body, chasing away the chill of the afternoon. I had never been a fan of coffee, not liking the somewhat bitter aftertaste, but since I started at Columbia it had become my best friend. Whenever I had to stay up late for an assignment or if I had a day full of classes and lectures, you can be sure I'd stock up on caffeine before, during and after. "So, what's been happening with you? You haven't dropped in to say hi for the last few days."

He frowned. "I know. I've been completely swamped with assignments. I was up til two in the morning on Tuesday finishing off an essay." His charcoal eyes glimmered with sadness. "It was horrible."

I snickered. "We've been here for over a year and you still can't handle late nights?" I reached over to pat his hand. "Honey, you should know by now that it kind of comes with the territory."

He wrinkled his nose at me, but didn't argue the point. "So, what was so important that you had to drag me from my nice warm bed and out into this atrocious weather?"

"Well, coffee, for one." I raised my cup with a smile and took another sip before speaking again. "Two, I'm out of books to read and need to go get some more, so I thought I'd drag you along with me." He groaned at my words. Ass. "And three, I have news."

His eyes widened. "Oh God, you're not pregnant, are you?"

"Pregnant? No!" I laughed and kicked him under the table. "I haven't had sex since I went home for Christmas."

"Thanks, because I needed to know that." He took a sip of his own coffee and checked his phone again. "You know I'm always happy to take care of you, my love. All you have to do is ask."

I winked at him. "Thanks, Kel, but somehow I don't think Audrey would approve of me having sex with you." The two of them had finally decided to act on their sexual tension and give a relationship a go, and I'd be lying if I said they weren't the cutest couple in the world.

He waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense. I'm sure I could persuade her otherwise."

I shook my head. "Surely there's a rule against using your powers on your partner."

"If there is, I haven't heard about it." He reached over to tug on the end of my scarf. "Now, what's this news you have to share?"

Oh, right. That was the main reason why I'd called him here. My cheeks flushed and he laughed. "Sorry. I completely forgot. Only you could turn a conversation toward sex. You have a one track mind, I swear to God."

"I thought you knew that already. But enough of that, tell me your news, woman. Come on, out with it."

I giggled at his teasing and set my cup down on the table. Audrey had been the first to find out and there had been an abundance of squealing and excited conversation. I certainly hadn't been expecting it either; he had sprung it on me completely out of the blue. "Well, I was talking to Warren on the phone last night and…" I paused to calm the ecstatic fluttering in my stomach. "He's moving to New York."

Kellen's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" he asked. "You're kidding, right?"

I shook my head. "Nope, he's really coming! He didn't want to tell me until he knew for sure, but he got accepted to Vassar University to study Literature. He'll be here in three months."

"Holy shit," he gasped. A woman sitting not too far from us turned to glare at Kellen, motioning to her young child on the chair beside her. Kellen flinched. "Sorry, ma'am," he said before looking back at me. "So, he's moving here?" I nodded frantically. "Oh, Jay, I'm so happy for you. You must be so excited."

"I am," I said, my fingers tightening around the still warm cup in my hands. "I can't believe he's going to be here. He was so scared about me going away to study, but to know that he worked up the courage to take such a huge leap makes me so proud. He really deserves this."

"And so do you," Kellen replied. "I wasn't sure how you'd cope being away from him at first, but you've grown so much over the last twelve months. Warren isn't going to know what hit him."

I beamed at him. "It's going to be so weird at first, but I can't wait to have him here."

He chuckled and slipped his phone into his pocket. "Well then, on that happy note, we should probably get out of here before it starts pouring with rain again." I turned around in my seat and glanced out the windows. It was still dark and gloomy outside, but the rain had stopped. "Shall we?" He rose from his seat and held his hand out for me, smiling when I took it and stood up beside him, cup clutched in my free hand.

"I wonder how Audrey will go meeting Warren," I mused as we left the shop and wandered down the street together.

Kellen pursed his lips. "If she leaves me for him, you and I can always get together."

I bumped my shoulder against his. "Keep hope alive, lover boy."

x-X-x

The sounds of the city were muted by my helmet as I cruised through the busy streets, watching as couples walked hand in hand down the footpaths, businessmen and women waving like fools trying to hail a taxi, and dozens of teenagers wandering along with their eyes glued to their phones. How they managed to walk along and not smack into anything, or anyone for that matter, I'd never know.

'**This coming from the girl who walked into a brick wall the other day because she had her nose buried in a book.'**

I rolled my eyes, the gesture hidden by the tinted screen covering my face. _It was a good book, so shut your face._

L snorted and I felt her pushing at the back of my mind as I came to a stop at an intersection, a playful little nudge intended to make me smile. _'Don't let her bug you, Jay. She's just grumpy because she has a low pain threshold.' _I heard the tone in her voice and knew she was trying to goad her demonic counterpart.

It was no surprise when she took the bait. **'Pfft. My pain threshold is amazing. I could take you on any day, angel girl.'**

'_Careful. You don't want to talk yourself up too much only to suffer a terrible defeat.'_

'**Alright, that's it. You and me. Right now. Let's go!'**

_Oh, for the love of God, shut up, girls! _I laughed, revving the engine and falling back into the flow of traffic when we got the green light. I followed the corner and swung onto a relatively calmer side street. _I'm in no mood to listen to you two bitching at each other the whole trip. _They knew it was a lie; most of the time I got in on the debating, and won. I was just giving them shit.

'**I still don't see why we couldn't just fly there. We're wasting valuable Warren ogling time taking the bike.'**

I smiled, slowing down a little as a car indicated to overtake me. _Because I don't want to draw attention to myself, and I love my bike._ I had finished my classes for the day and instead of hanging around my dorm room doing nothing, I decided to go and visit Warren at his campus. It was still so strange having him living in the same city as me after we were apart for a year. I never imagined Warren would choose to come to such a busy city, but the moment he stepped off the plane that day I realized that he belonged here. With me.

x-x

_The airport was as busy as usual, tired parents wandering towards baggage claim with their young child toddling along beside them, chattering endlessly about this, that and the other. A group of young teenagers had just arrived from goodness knows where – they were all tanned, with bleached blonde hair and way, way too much make-up – and were screeching and squealing about how they couldn't believe they were in New York, and how it was going to be "the most amazing holiday in, like, ever!" _

_I had never been more grateful for headphones._

_There were also lots of happier, sweeter interactions: people reuniting after a long time, and even some saying goodbye. I smiled watching a young girl practically choke her parents with the force of her hug. It reminded me of when I left for New York, all the tears and heartache, which soon turned to wonder and excitement once I stepped off the plane._

_I wondered if Warren would be like that. He was the reason why I was here, after all – I didn't just come to the airport for a good old session of people watching. God no. Today was the day a plane would arrive from Maxville with Warren on board, ready to start his college experience. And I was here to greet him. I hadn't seen him in at least six months, so the knowledge that I would be able to hold him and kiss him was enough to drive me insane. Was I always this impatient?_

'_**Yes,' **__D interjected. _

_I narrowed my eyes and told her to shove it, ignoring her laughter as I looked out the wall of windows to the various runways and stations for planes with passengers ready to disembark. There was a plane on the runway that I hadn't noticed before, coasting slowly along the concrete path until it was able to turn into the tarmac and come to a safe stop just outside the terminal where Warren was set to arrive. My heart began to race as I glanced up at the screen displaying flight times for arrivals and departures, and there, next to Warren's flight number, was the word Landed._

_I stepped back as the crowd gathered to greet their friends and family, not wanting to get caught up in the mayhem. One by one, the passengers walked up the ramp and into the terminal, gravitating towards the people who waited for them with smiles and firm hugs. I stood on my toes, eyes scanning the crowd for dark hair and tanned skin, and then there, right at the back of the line, was Warren._

_I wasn't prepared for the rush of happiness that crushed my chest and made it hard to breathe. Yes, it had been six months since we'd seen each other, but I hadn't realized just how much I'd missed him. My eyes filled with tears and I felt my bottom lip begin to tremble as he met my eyes over the crowd, all chocolate and warmth and familiarity. Without a second thought I broke into a sprint, the other people in the terminal clearing a path for me to run through before I slammed into Warren's firm body. _

_He grunted in surprise and wound his arms around me, chuckling as I let my ecstatic tears leak into his shirt. "Hi, baby," he said against my hair and I tightened my arms around him at the sound. _

"_Hello," I replied weakly, tilting my head back to look at him. He smiled and it was like the sun shining through the clouds. "I can't believe you're really here."_

_He reached up and moved a few strands of hair away from my face. "Well, believe it." His eyes shone. "You look beautiful."_

_I laughed. "Right. I'm such a hot mess."_

_His eyes crinkled at the corners as his smile broadened. "That may be so, but you're my hot mess, so it's fine," he said and leaned down to kiss me. The first touch of his lips against mine felt like home and I wound my arms around his neck, determined to make the most of this. He laughed softly into my mouth, his thumb stroking along my cheek and planted a few more gentle kisses on my lips before pulling away. "Come on, I need to go get my bags."_

"_Right." I stepped back and rubbed my tears away before taking Warren's outstretched hand. He tightened his fingers around mine when I shivered at the warmth of his skin. I had missed him so much. "Luggage."_

_It was impossible to miss the way people smiled at us as we walked hand in hand through the terminal._

x-x

The sound of a car horn jolted me from my memories and my head snapped up in surprise. I had been waiting at a red light which, at some point during my reminiscing, had turned green and I hadn't noticed. Embarrassed, I waved apologetically to the cars waiting behind me and continued on down the road. A few more turns and one long street later and I was cruising into the parking lot outside the Vassar campus.

After finding a suitable space I cut the engine and sat back, reaching into my pocket for my phone. I had felt it buzzing while I was driving, but didn't want to have to pull off the road to check it, so I'd waited until I arrived here. It was a message from Astrid, asking if I wanted to have lunch with her tomorrow. I only had morning classes tomorrow, so that was more than okay. I quickly sent back a response before sliding my phone back into my pocket, removing my helmet and shaking my hair free.

"Jamie!"

I looked up at the sound of my name, spotting Maya walking along the garden path, a book bag tucked under her arm. Maya was one of the few friends I'd made thanks to my many visits here. She reminded me a lot of Layla, even though they looked nothing alike. Maya had inky black hair and striking turquoise eyes, but she was as sweet as sugar and very easy to talk to.

I smiled at her as I got off the bike and set the helmet down on the seat, taking the keys from the ignition and dropping them into my pocket. "Hey, Maya," I said, making my way across the lot to meet her. "How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks. I didn't know you were coming by today." She gave me a quick hug before we started walking down the path again, towards the library.

"It was sort of a spur of the moment decision. I've had a lot of morning classes this week, so I figured, what better way to spend my afternoon than hanging around here and bugging the shit out of the rest of you?"

She laughed. "Like you could ever bother me. You know I love you."

We kept up a steady conversation as we walked through the flourishing garden, the trickle of a water fountain coming from somewhere deep within the labyrinth. I'd gone exploring in there one day and no surprise had gotten myself incredibly lost; thankfully Warren and Maya heard me yelling and came to the rescue.

'_You're usually pretty good with directions,' _L spoke up, a teasing lilt to her otherwise gentle voice.

_I was having an off day._

'**Every day is an off day for you.'**

_Excuse me? I don't remember you being very helpful. All you did was laugh at me. _

'**I'm pretty sure that still counts as helping.'**

_I don't know what rulebook you're reading from then._

'**The rulebook of Awesome.'**

'_You, madam, are a moron.'_

I hid my snicker behind a delicate cough so as not to draw attention to myself from Maya, who I was pretty sure didn't know about my powers. Warren hadn't mentioned anything to her, so I wasn't going to blow our cover. Not everyone we knew had powers.

"Oh, there he is," Maya said, pointing to the green area out the front of the Thompson Library. It was one of Warren's favourite places to be when he wasn't in class or holed up in his dorm; I loved it, too, with all the large trees and the beautiful old library standing tall and proud in the centre. I followed Maya's line of sight and quickly spotted Warren sitting under the shade of a tree, a book perched on his lap. What I wasn't expecting was the young blonde sitting beside him.

"Who's that?" I asked, unable to hide the spark of venom in my tone as I watched her lean over and put her hand on his forearm. I couldn't see her face from here, but she looked rather pretty.

Maya wrinkled her nose in distaste. "That's Caroline. She transferred here at the start of term and recently took a liking to Warren. They share a class." She glanced up at me with apologetic eyes. "She's a bit of a bitch."

I smiled despite myself and encouraged her to walk again. "I'm not surprised. Looks like I might have to establish a hierarchy."

"Please do," she replied. "Someone needs to put that little princess in her place."

I nudged her shoulder with my own as we stepped off the path and walked along the soft grass. Warren looked up as we neared them, his eyes widening in surprise before a wave of relief seemed to crash over him and his shoulders relaxed from their tight hunch. Caroline pursed her lips, dark eyes taking me in while Maya stood calmly beside me. "Hey kids," I greeted and sat down beside Warren. Maya remained where she was. "What's up?"

Warren wrapped an arm around me, much to Caroline's disappointment. "Not a whole lot. I was just trying to get in some reading time." Emphasis on the trying. Caroline had obviously interrupted him. I raised my eyebrows at him and his lips twitched.

"It's a beautiful day for it," I agreed before glancing past him at the petulant little blonde. "Who's your friend?"

He breathed in deep, but played along. "Oh, this is Caroline. We have a class together."

I nodded. "Maya was just telling me about that."

Caroline sniffed. "Yes," she crooned. "Warren sits at the table opposite mine. He's so wonderfully smart. I was just asking if he wouldn't mind tutoring me." She narrowed her eyes, as if telling me to back off.

'**Aw, hell no,' **D snarled. **'He's ours. Quick, someone pee on him.'**

'_Gross!' _L squealed.

"He's great at tutoring," I replied happily. I wanted to see how long it took her to catch on. "He used to help me out with my assignments all the time."

Warren scoffed. "Like you needed it."

Caroline faltered. "But… you don't go here."

I shook my head. "No, I'm at Columbia. Warren and I went to high school together."

Her eyes flicked between us, as if she were trying to piece it all together. To cover her tracks, she spoke again. "So, you're friends?"

I tried to hide my grin as Warren said, "Jamie's my girlfriend. We've been together… how long now, Jay?"

"About six years," I replied proudly.

Finally, Caroline's face soured. _That's right, honey. You can't have him. _"That's… so sweet." It wasn't hard to tell that the words were forced. "Well, I'm afraid I have to go. I have an exam I need to study for."

Maya snorted. "You study now?"

Caroline glared. "Whatever. I'll see you later, Warren. It was lovely meeting you, _Jamie."_

I wiggled my fingers at her as she stood and all but stormed off toward the Hall. "Bye, honey."

When she was out of earshot, Maya burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh my God, that was fantastic. I don't think she'll be bothering you anymore, Warren." She leaned over to high five me, the two of us grinning like idiots.

"God, I hope not." Warren rubbed his face with his free hand, the other playing with a lock of my hair. "I hate to be rude, but that girl is a nightmare. Hopefully her crush on me will go away now that she knows I'm taken."

"What was stopping you from telling her?" I inquired, curious.

"You try getting a word in with that girl practically hanging off you all the time. I wasn't sure how to break it to her."

Maya shook her head. "Only you'd be concerned about her feelings, you big bear." Warren grinned at her. "Well, lovely people, I'm afraid I have to go. I'm meeting a friend at the library in ten minutes and we all know how you can talk someone's ear off, Jamie."

I held a hand over my heart in mock hurt. "You wound me, Maya."

She blew me a kiss in response. "Tatty-bye," she chimed as she walked off. "And stay out of trouble!"

I smiled, laughing a little at Warren's tired face. "Poor baby. She was really that bad?"

He grimaced. "She's awful. A nice person, I'm sure… maybe. I feel bad for the guy she ends up with."

I took the book out of his hands and crawled into his lap, running a finger along the bridge of his nose. "At least you can rest easy with the knowledge that it won't be you."

He smirked at me. "Are you perhaps feeling a little protective, miss Stronghold?"

"Who, me?" He raised his eyebrows. "A little."

"More like a lot," he teased, cupping the back of my neck with a warm hand. "Don't worry, I find it very attractive."

"Oh?" I leaned into him, brushing my lips along his in the whisper of a kiss. I felt my fangs slide free and decided to go along with it, grazing them over his skin. "You like that it drives me insane seeing other girls getting close to you, that seeing them touch you makes me want to grab you, take you to your room and remind you just who you belong to?" Oh yeah. I was really saying all these things. The two of us had become quite confident in our sexual prowess over the years, and I wasn't opposed to showing off my courage… among other things.

Warren groaned and crushed our mouths together, my lips instantly parting to let his tongue into my mouth. He flattened a hand against the small of my back and pulled me tight to his chest, my hips unintentionally – sort of – rocking over his. I growled into his mouth, feeling his tongue run over the sharp edges of my fangs. He tasted like heat and apples – perhaps he'd eaten one before I got here – and I kissed him eagerly, loving the taste of him on my tongue.

We broke apart before one of us passed out from oxygen deprivation. My chest heaved and my cheeks were flushed, but we were grinning like idiots. "Is it wrong that I hope Caroline saw that?" I asked.

He looked up at me through his lashes. "Absolutely not," he said, leaning in to press his lips against my neck. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd rather like to take you back to my room."

I smiled. "What about Tyler?" Tyler was Warren's rather attractive roommate; I was very fond of him.

Warren chuckled. "You know what he's like. He'll be cheering us on from the other side of the wall. Besides, I don't think he's here at the moment, so it's just you and me."

Now _that _sounded all kinds of appealing. "Lead the way."

His eyes burned as he grabbed his book, rose to his feet and held out a hand for me that I took without hesitation, the two of us making our way across the quad to the dorms.

God, I loved college.

* * *

**Rawr! You go, girl! **

**Writing Jamie in college was a very interesting experience. I was in the middle of writing the last scene of this when I had the realization that Jamie was all grown up. I mean, when I write my new stuff for her she won't be in her 20's like she is now, but this series is my baby, and really, it's what made Jamie who she is. And now she's all grown up. She's an adult, not my little girl. I couldn't believe how hard it hit me. Thankfully I didn't burst into tears ;) I didn't! Stop looking at me like that!**

**Like I said earlier, I'm happy to write another part to this if you can think of more stuff you'd like to see. I was a little worried that, since it's been so long, you wouldn't remember Kellen. I really hope you do, because he's wonderful :) Thank goodness Jay had him when she first moved, otherwise I think she would have been one big emotional wreck. The next outtake shouldn't take as long to write - I'm hoping to have it out within the next few weeks, so hooray! If I start taking too long, I give you permission to nag and throw things. Also, you know how I mentioned writing a whole heap of futuretakes? Well, I've decided to turn all those into another story, because I get the feeling it's going to be a little long. I won't start that until I've got the outtakes done, so that won't be out for another month or so. If you want to be notified when that's posted, put me on Author Alert if you haven't already :)**

**Last but not least, Pulvis news! Anna and I still haven't been able to find the time to get back to it - Anna is crazy busy with school, so she's taking some time for herself right now. We have, however, been able to write a little character building prequel for Warren - in his POV, too! - called _Bright Eyes_. It's posted in full over on our joint account, so be sure to pop over there - there's a link on my profile - and have a look, and maybe leave us some love. **

**That's it for now. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**

**See you again soon.**

** xx**


	13. Outtake: Cutting It Close

**The idea for this outtake came from a request made by the lovely calalily123. She asked if I could write about Jamie's reaction to Warren getting his hair cut. It was an intriguing idea and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to write it. So Cala, this one's for you!**

**Thanks to Anna for pre-reading :)**

**Disclaimer:****************************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

Soft evening light filtered in through my partially open window as I lay stretched out on my bed, an array of textbooks scattered around me. I had an exam coming up and although it wasn't a big one, I still wanted to get a good grade. I had been cramming for days and it felt like my head was about to explode.

It also reminded me a bit of my last year of high school and how majority of my final year had been taken up by repetitive studying for my end of year exams. I was barely able to catch up with my friends because we were all so busy studying – well, except Will. He was pretty cruise-y about it. He ended up acing his exams anyway; show off. The memories made me a little nostalgic for those days and our young innocence. I missed throwing things at people during classes and joking around with the teachers – Mr. Boy was my favourite, even though I didn't actually have any classes with him. He always had cool stories to tell me about his time working with my dad as his sidekick. I missed sitting under the oak tree with Warren, listening to him read to me, and fighting with my friends over who got which pudding cup at lunch time.

'**Remember the time Magenta shifted and stole the last one without anyone noticing?'**

I laughed into the pages of my book. _Yes! She'd almost finished it before any of us realized what she was doing._

My chest constricted a little at the memory. I missed my friends more than anything. I had been able to catch up with them for a little while last Christmas, and would hopefully get to see them again for the seasonal holiday that was rapidly approaching once again. I fully intended to start Christmas shopping soon, if I managed to find a free day in amongst all the mayhem. Michelle had actually come to visit a few months ago and we spent a few days exploring the city. Warren tagged along when he didn't have any classes, which made it all the more enjoyable. She even brought me a care package from home, including a batch of cookies from mum. Kellen ate most of them, though. I refused to let him and Will eat a meal together; they were both bottomless pits.

'_Stop thinking about food,' _L whined. _'We've been here for hours and the only times you've gotten up off your ass were to go to the bathroom. We need sustenance, Jamie!'_

I knew she was only teasing, but I couldn't help but be taken aback by her blunt words. L was usually so relaxed and charming. Looks like lack of food made her act a lot more like her darker sister.

D chuckled. **'Quit being so fucking needy. Warren will most likely be coming over, and I'm pretty sure if he wants sex, he'll bring food.' **She paused for a moment. **'Particularly donuts. Fuck me, I love donuts.'**

I smiled. _Care to drop another f-bomb, madam?_

'**Well, if you're offering…'**

'_No, she is not!' _L interjected, sounding much more light-hearted than before. _'I have no intention of listening to your vulgar language for the rest of the night. How I wish you came with a mute button.'_

'**I do. It's called ignoring. Give it a go sometime, I do it to you at least five times a day.'**

"Alright, that's enough," I said aloud and pushed up onto my knees. "I know it's part of the deal, but do you guys seriously not go a day without arguing?"

'**Probably not,' **D replied. **'Why, did you want to make a bet?'**

"And what would I get if I won?" I asked, stretching my arms up above my head to work the muscles free of their tightness.

'… **Nothing, really. Never mind.'**

I shook my head and glanced down at my study materials. "Why is it that every time I have something to do, I end up getting distracted by you two talking nonsense?"

There was no response and I sighed, flopping back onto the bed just as my phone rang. Ah, yet another distraction. Not that I was making much progress with my studying; I was way too tired to keep up a steady stream of learning… or reading and then forgetting what I'd just read.

I twisted my body towards the bedside table and stretched my arm out to retrieve my vibrating phone, smiling a little as Warren's name flashed on the screen. I pressed the call button and relaxed onto the mattress, breathing a quiet "hi" into the receiver.

The familiar sound of Warren's throaty chuckle echoed in my ear. "Hello, gorgeous. What's happening?"

"Nothing terribly interesting, I'm afraid," I replied. "I've been studying for this exam all day. I don't think my brain can take much more."

I could hear the smile in his voice. "Poor baby. Would it make you feel better if I came by to visit?"

I closed my eyes with a smile. "Is that a trick question? Come on over."

He let out a breathy laugh that sounded peculiarly sheepish. "Thing is… I'm kind of already here."

"You are?" I asked, propping myself up on one elbow and peeking down the hall. I couldn't see the front door from here, but I could hear a soft tapping that was no doubt him knocking on the pale wood. "Huh. How about that."

"Mind letting me in?"

I shook my head and ended the call. "It's open!" I yelled and turned back to my books. There was no way in Hell I would be making any more progress tonight, so I quickly began cleaning up my messy little work station.

"I brought pizza, by the way," Warren called from down the hall. "Where's Audrey tonight?"

"Um, I think she and Kellen went out for dinner and a movie," I replied distractedly, trying to keep my textbooks in a relatively neat pile as I scooped them up to transport them over to my desk.

"Date night, huh?" he asked, the sound of his footsteps echoing up the hall.

I shrugged. "Either that or Kellen didn't want to spend the night in his dorm so he convinced her to go out with him. He does that a lot, and if it doesn't work he just comes over here and nags me."

I heard his soft chuckle from the doorway and turned around to greet him, but stopped short when I got a good look at his face. I felt my mouth drop open and watched as a smirk pulled at Warren's full lips. "What…" I choked out, eyes wide and focused on his hair.

He had gotten it cut. And I don't mean a few inches off the bottom to get rid of any split ends, I mean he got it _cut. _Like, all of it. Okay, maybe not all of it, but there was a hell of a lot missing.

"What did you do?" I whimpered dejectedly.

His eyebrows pulled together at my horrified reaction. "I got a haircut. Is that not okay?"

I shook my head to clear it and took a few tentative steps toward him. "N-no, it's fine. Really, it is. It just took me by surprise." When I was close enough to do so, I reached a hand up to touch the short locks that had been styled to stick up in some sort of controlled chaos. I searched for the red streak that used to hang in front of his eyes when he was too lazy to push it back and let my lower lip jut out when I realized it was no longer there. "What made you decide to do it?"

He shrugged, strong shoulders rising and dropping like the ebb and flow of the tide. "I don't know. It felt a little symbolic, you know? I'm almost at the end of my first year of college, and I don't want to look like the broody guy I was in high school. This is a new beginning, and new beginnings deserve a new look."

To be honest I hadn't heard a word he'd said. I was too busy running my hands through the short locks, trying to get used to the way they felt between my fingers. They didn't slide over my skin in quite the same way, but it wasn't altogether unpleasant. I leaned back to look at him and pursed my lips in thought.

"What?" he asked. I noticed a hint of anxiety in his tone. "Don't you like it?"

I finally let a smile stretch across my face. "I love it," I told him. "It suits you."

He exhaled in relief. "Thank God. You looked so devastated when I first walked in; I was scared you were going to burst into tears."

I laughed. "No, no tears. I was just a little surprised. I loved your long hair, and I'm going to miss it, but I like this new look. It's more… mature. And sexy."

He raised his eyebrows and took my hips in his hands. "Sexy?"

I nodded. "Mhm. If you look this good with short hair, perhaps I should cut mine?"

His eyes narrowed. "No way," he growled and pulled me toward him.

I tried not to laugh. "Why not? I could get a pixie cut or something…"

"No," he said with an air of finality.

I giggled and put my hands on his chest. "Relax, I'm not going to cut my hair. Do you know how long it took me to grow this out? Besides, if I cut it, what would you grab?"

Without a word, Warren slid his hands around to cup my bottom. I laughed and buried my face in his chest, breathing out into his shirt as he gave the cheeks a gentle squeeze. "There are other things I could grab, but I don't want to get in trouble for being too forward."

"Please, be as forward as you want, Mr. Peace," I encouraged, closing my eyes as he laughed into my hair.

"Later. I can hear your stomach rumbling. You need food, little lady. Now, come on." Before I could protest, he bent at the knees, grabbed my sides and hoisted me up over his shoulder, ignoring my surprised squealing.

"Warren!" I cried, kicking my legs out like a mad woman. "Put me down!"

He didn't say anything, merely reached up and smacked me hard on the butt. The sound cracked through the empty dorm room and made my ears ring. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a hand shaped bruise on my ass come tomorrow.

He set me down once we reached the kitchen before pulling me in for a kiss, my lips parting almost immediately to let his soft tongue into my mouth. I groaned against his lips and fisted his short hair in my hands, delighting in his low growl as I tugged on the dark locks. Oh yeah, I was definitely a fan of the new look.

* * *

**I tried really hard to have a different ending for this, but when it comes to Jamie and Warren everything ends up being about sex. Can't you two stay out of each others pants for ten minutes? Sheesh!**

**If you're trying to picture Warren's new do in your head, think Caleb from The Covenant, who ironically enough, is played by Steven Strait. I can't escape you, baby!**

**I have two more outtakes planned before I'm done with this, so hopefully they'll be out soon :) And then after that, I think I'm going to take a break from these characters for a little while. Not to say that I don't love them or anything, because I do, very much. I just have a lot of other things I need to work on, and I've been writing these guys non-stop for almost a year, so I need to take some time away from this particular universe and branch out a little more, you know? I will definitely still write the futuretakes, so don't panic.**

**Until next time, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	14. Outtake: Happy Birthday!

**Back again! This was an outtake I always intended to write, and I have to say, I had so much fun putting it all together. I always knew it was going to be a monster and I wasn't wrong. This thing almost wound up being 13k words, which is easily one of the longest chapters I've ever written - apart from a oneshot. Mainly because these kids are so damn chatty.**

**A million and one thanks - as always - to Anna for not only pre-reading with me, which was all kinds of fun, but for helping me pick dresses, drinks, music, accommodation and a certain family heirloom. This wouldn't have happened without you, my dear. So thank you.**

**I know you're probably eager to read, so I won't keep you. Enjoy!**

**********Disclaimer: ************************************All canon characters belong to Walt Disney. Anyone not familiar to the franchise belongs to me.**

* * *

"So, do you have any plans for your birthday?"

I looked away from the shoes I was admiring and focused my attention on Astrid. The two of us had decided to catch up for a few hours of retail therapy; I hadn't seen her in almost a month, so it was wonderful being able to hear about everything she'd been doing since then. "Apparently I do," I replied with a smile. "Audrey and the gang are taking me out to dinner tomorrow night and then, according to her, I'm going to my first nightclub." The little brat had sprung the knowledge on me a few days ago, and from what I'd been told, Warren was firmly supporting the idea. Traitor.

Astrid giggled. "And you get no say whatsoever?"

I shrugged. "Doesn't look like it, but in all honesty, I don't mind. I'm not as averse to the idea as I would have been in high school. It actually sounds like fun."

"I'm glad," Astrid said with the utmost sincerity. "It's good to see you branching out and taking chances."

I wanted to squish her. I couldn't remember the last time I had met someone as pure and kindhearted as Astrid. I wished I had a pocket-sized version of her to carry around with me all the time. "Oh!" I gasped in surprise, resisting the urge to smack myself in the face. How had I not thought of this earlier? "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Astrid pursed her lips for a moment. "Nothing, why? Do you need some help getting ready?"

"Bless your heart," I sighed and tugged playfully on her shirt sleeve. "I was going to ask if you'd like to come out with us."

Her eyes widened. "Really?" she asked excitedly, as if she hadn't even considered the possibility that I would ask her.

"Absolutely," I said. "It'd be nice to have someone from high school there, apart from Warren and Kellen." Technically, Kellen didn't count seeing as he graduated the year before me, but whatever. "Besides, we haven't caught up in forever. I'd really love to spend some more time with you. I'm sure Warren misses you, too."

She looked absolutely ecstatic. "I'd love to! Oh, thank you so much, Jamie." She bounced a little on her toes like the ballerina she was and leaned over to hug me. "This means I'll have to get you a present," she went on. "Is there anything you want?"

I shook my head and squeezed her gently. "Your company is gift enough."

"Nice try, but you're not getting away that easily. What do you want?"

I laughed at her words. She had really come out of her shell since high school; she wasn't afraid to speak up, or be a bit cheeky. She had become the shining star James always insisted she was. "I have no idea. Seriously, I've been asked that so many times over the last few weeks and I keep coming up with absolutely nothing."

She snorted. "I suppose some things never change," she teased. "Don't worry, I'll find something for you."

After Astrid and I parted ways for the day, I decided to stop by the store to pick up some stuff for dinner. I hadn't cooked in a while and our kitchen was starting to look a little neglected. We weren't messy by any means, but we barely used the oven or the stovetop and I felt that it needed some love. So, I bought the necessities to make chicken schnitzel with mashed potato and salad. Audrey was going to lose her mind. Besides, I was craving chicken.

Just as I thought. When Audrey found out what I planned to make she squealed and hugged me so tight I worried I would pass out from oxygen deprivation. Honestly, the way she reacted you'd think the poor girl had never had a home cooked meal.

"Oh my God," she moaned as we sat on the couch afterward, watching some ridiculous reality show. "That was amazing. I don't think I've ever been so happy to know we have food leftover. I want to stretch that out for as long as I can."

"Kind of like your stomach?" I reached over to pat her slightly bloated stomach. Audrey had filled her plate and didn't stop eating until it was empty, even if she felt like she was going to vomit. I had to hand it to her, the girl was committed.

"Fuck off." She laughed weakly and made a poor attempt to swat my hand away. "It's your fault for being such a good cook."

I leaned my head back against the couch. "You should have seen me when I first started cooking. I sucked so bad."

"You couldn't have been as bad as me. I baked a cake once and accidentally put salt in it instead of sugar."

I snorted. "We've all done it at least once."

She laughed. "I've done it seven times," she said. "Mum had to put labels on the containers, but I still kept getting it wrong."

"That's because you're special."

She wrinkled her nose. "Whore," she mumbled and reached around the couch cushions. "Where the hell is the remote? I'm not watching this crap anymore."

Despite her words, we ended up watching at least another hour of bad TV before we gave up and went to bed, Audrey waddling along with her hands on her stomach. I gave the kitchen a quick clean and put any remaining food in the fridge before brushing my teeth and getting changed into my pajamas.

'**So, twenty one tomorrow, huh?' **D said as I curled up under the blankets. The pale moonlight filtered in through my open window and cast everything in a pearly white glow.

_I know, _I replied tiredly. _I can't believe it. _

'_How do you feel about it?' _L asked, picking up on the hint of melancholy in my mind.

I sighed into the still room. _Fine. I mean, birthdays are great, and twenty one isn't that bad. I'm still young. I think it's more celebrating such a big birthday without my parents or Will around to share it with._

I was definitely missing Will right now. This was the first major birthday we would celebrate without each other and I wasn't sure I liked the idea. I missed sneaking into his bedroom in the morning to bombard him with cuddles and kisses that he didn't always want. I missed giving him presents and watching his face as he tore the wrapping away, I missed hearing stories about when we were kids from mum and dad and then begging them to stop because they always told the embarrassing ones, especially when we had company. I mean, I had Warren and my other friends, but it wasn't quite the same. It made me realize how much times had changed, which made me nostalgic for the old days.

'_Oh, honey, don't be sad,' _L crooned. _'I'm sure everyone will call you tomorrow, and you'll be able to fly home soon to visit them.'_

_Yeah, I guess. But I want them to actually be here on the day, you know? It won't be the same without them._

'**Well, at least you've got us.'**

I smiled, comforted by the thought. _Yeah. Thanks girls._

'**No problem. Goodnight, kid.'**

x-X-x

"Happy Birthday, baby!" mum cried into the phone the next morning. I had barely been up an hour before my phone started ringing. I had expected to feel, or at least look a little different now that I was twenty one, but as I stared at my reflection after I got out of the shower I realized I was still the same old Jamie. Brown hair, blue eyes, tanned skin and normal. Also, no grey hair. Another plus.

"Thanks, mum," I sighed into the receiver. "How's Will?"

"He's good," she said and I heard him yelling in the background, his words slightly muffled, no doubt by a mouthful of food. "And what about you? How are things in New York?"

"I'm fine, missing you guys a lot, though," I told her honestly. "I've got a midday workshop for music and quick lecture after that, but then I'm done for the day, which is nice."

She laughed. "Your professors must be feeling a bit merciful today."

I nodded. "Either that or Kellen persuaded them to cut down the classes. You have no idea how often he uses his powers around here, and because he's so innocent looking no one suspects him of a thing."

"Oh honey, don't act so surprised," she giggled. "We've all done it at least once."

"I haven't!" I argued, unable to hold back my own amusement. "I've been very well behaved lately. Although, I may have flirted with a guy at Starbucks a few days ago so that he'd give me a free coffee."

"Ha! See?" she shouted. "You're not that innocent, my darling. You don't have to be so uptight all the time. Let loose, have some fun! You're in college after all."

I narrowed my eyes. "That's not what you told me when I left."

I could hear the smile in her voice. "You were still young back then. You're a grown woman now, Jamie. I trust you to make the right decisions, so now I'm telling you to relax. Enjoy your life. Have fun, okay? There's nothing wrong with getting a little silly."

Her words remained with me as I sat through my classes, drawing idly in the margins of my notebook pages. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how right she was. I was a twenty one year old woman living in New York; the world was sitting right in the palm of my hand, I just had to figure out what I wanted to do with it. For now, I wanted to have fun. I _deserved _to have fun. As I left the music workshop – after a quick happy birthday from my professor – I decided that I would make the most of my day, whether Will was here or not. I had my friends and my boyfriend and while it wasn't what I was used to, it was enough.

'_Atta girl, _L praised as my spirits began to lift. _'You'll have a wonderful time tonight, I'm sure of it.'_

'**Now that you're legally allowed to drink, I suggest getting absolutely wasted and dancing on the bar. I'm sure Kellen will happily stuff one dollar bills in your underwear.'**

I laughed softly, not wanting to draw attention to myself, and walked through an open courtyard, letting the midday sun warm my cool skin. My remaining class passed in a similar fashion; I wrote pointless stories and played a few games of Solitaire before we were let out for the day. Afternoon classes were pretty relaxed, especially when the prof was too busy grading our previous assignments to teach us anything new.

Audrey was wandering around the dorm when I returned, her bright hair hidden within the tight wrappings of a towel. Only Audrey could look so comfortable traipsing through our living quarters in her underwear; I couldn't help but wonder if she acted like this around Kellen. She looked up as I dropped my bag by the door and smiled widely. "Hey, birthday girl," she chimed. "How was your day?"

I shrugged and made a beeline for the kitchen. "It was fine," I said and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. "And yours?"

"Eh," she drawled. "Nothing to report. I did, however, get a text from Kellen not too long ago. He and Warren will be here in about an hour."

I glanced at the clock and nodded. It was 4:30 – I had gone to get some coffee and a quick bite to eat after my last class let out. That was more than enough time for me to shower and get dressed, maybe do my hair a little bit. I had but one small problem…

"What am I going to wear?" I asked helplessly. I didn't really have anything suited for a nightclub in my wardrobe. "I doubt you'd let me get away with a shirt and shorts."

"No, I would not," she confirmed with a grin. "You needn't fret, my darling, it's already been taken care of. Now go, be gone with you." She waved me away somewhat dramatically, her excited giggles following me down the hall. Sometimes I really worried for her sanity.

Nonetheless, I did as she asked and migrated to my room. It was impossible to miss the bag on the end of my bed with a piece of paper taped to it that read "Happy Birthday!" in big letters. The sight gave me an odd sense of déjà vu as I recalled discovering a different bag in the bottom of my suitcase during a trip to the Peace's summer house. What was it with people buying me clothes?

I ignored the bag and headed straight to the bathroom to shower, taking my time beneath the warm spray. Twenty minutes passed before I emerged from the steam filled room, wrapped in a towel and feeling all kinds of refreshed. I put on a matching set – no more mismatched undergarments for me these days – of black lingerie before tip toeing to the bag on my mattress. I squashed the butterflies in my stomach before taking a deep breath and plucking the outfit from within.

"Oh wow," I whispered in surprise. The dress was gold and covered in sequins that caught the light and sent prisms of colour shooting in all directions. I figured it came to about mid thigh with elbow length sleeves and a high neckline that had a rounded dip at the back. All in all, it was quite beautiful. I checked the bag for anything else and discovered a pair of simple black heels. My balance in those kinds of shoes had improved greatly over the years so I felt no trepidation toward wearing them. "Thank you, Audrey!" I yelled to my roommate, rising to my feet so that I could slip the dress on.

"You're welcome, honey," she called back and I smiled. She really did have marvelous taste.

I decided to forgo the shoes until I was completely ready, instead padding around the room with bare feet. There wasn't a whole lot I could do with my hair and seeing as we were going clubbing, which involved dancing, it would most likely end up all over the place anyway, so I blow dried it until it was relatively straight before putting a little bit of makeup on – which was not something I did often, even now. It was just a little eyeliner, shadow and mascara. Any more than that and it would feel like my pores were all clogged and yucky.

After a quick glance at the time on my phone screen , which read 5:15, I turned on my laptop to check my Facebook, reading through all the birthday messages on my profile. Layla and Maj both left giant messages, which took me an age to respond to, but it was wonderful to hear from them. I'd have to organize a Skype date with them so that I could fill them in on my night out. Without much else to do I plucked my shoes from the floor and slid them onto my feet, noticing instantly the extra few inches of height they gave me. I already stood a little taller than Audrey, so she was going to hate this. I was hardly at fault, though, seeing as she bought the shoes.

I grabbed a clutch from my wardrobe and filled it with the basic necessities before wandering back out into the empty main room. "Audrey?" I sang, my eyes scanning the quiet room for her pale face. "Where are you, woman?"

"Here," she said, stepping out of her room. She looked absolutely amazing in a dark blue dress that seemed to be an exact copy of my own.

"Two for one sale?" I teased, gesturing to my own outfit.

She beamed. "Maybe. Don't complain, though, you look smashing."

"Please," I scoffed. "That outfit is making me want to hit on you. Would you be opposed to leaving your boyfriend for the night so I can hang off your arm instead?"

Her sharp green eyes rolled. "You hang off me already," she shot back. "You know you're my number one girl." She managed to hold the serious expression for a good thirty seconds before she started giggling and soon the two of us were clutching our stomachs and trying not to pass out from laughing so hard.

I perched on the arm of the couch as I tried to calm my breathing and studied her outfit again. She had adorned her feet with sparkling silver heels with straps that criss-crossed a few inches up her legs and her hair had been curled into a mess of red. She, like me, didn't have much makeup on, just a bit of shadowing around the eyes and… was that glitter on her eyelids? Of course she'd do something like that.

"You really do look gorgeous," I reminded her.

She blushed at my words. "Thanks, Jay. Do you think Kellen will like it?" She sounded just a tiny bit shy. I found it adorable that even after two years he still made her nervous, and whenever he saw her it was like she was the only woman in the world. I was more than willing to bet they'd end up getting hitched one day. God, imagine the babies. I don't think I'd be able to handle such a high level of cute. Fingers crossed they think to keep defibrillator paddles on standby.

'**Clear!' **D cackled.

L chuckled to herself. _I don't think either of you need alcohol tonight. You tend to act like you're drunk half the time anyway._

'**Lighten up, princess. We're here to have fun.'**

I swore I could feel her smiling.

"Knock knock," sang another familiar voice from the open front door – had it been open the whole time? – and I looked over to see Astrid and Maya standing under the arch. "Can we come in?" Astrid asked.

I grinned and waved them inside. "Hey," I greeted, rising to my feet to embrace them. "God, why does everyone look so good tonight?"

Maya was a vision in a silver sequined dress with short, baggy sleeves and a high neckline, complete with matching shoes, while Astrid wore a pale pink halter dress with a flowy skirt and ruffles across the bust. A black ribbon cinched the waist and accentuated her petite figure; her feet were adorned with a pair of black stilettos and her hair was up in a tight knot atop her head while Maya kept her straight hair down, as usual.

Astrid blushed and put her hands on my shoulders. "Forget us, you look beautiful," she said sincerely. "I love this dress, where did you get it?"

"Ask Audrey," I laughed. "She's the one who bought it for me."

Astrid turned to look at my roommate who winked and held a finger to her lips. "Trade secret," she whispered before adding, "I'll tell you later."

Seeing as the majority of us were already here and ready to go, Audrey figured we might as well start the party now. Maya and Astrid gave me my gifts, a new capo for my guitar, a book of personalized sheet music, a few CDs and of course, some books. I loved that they knew to keep things simple; I didn't need the grand, expensive gifts. To me, thoughtfulness and meaning in a gift was far more important.

We were well and truly in party mode by the time the boys arrived, dancing around the room and singing in obnoxiously loud voices. It wouldn't shock me if the other students reported us for making too much noise.

"Well, well," Kellen said, raising his voice to be heard over the music. "What have we here?"

Audrey grinned, wiggling her fingers in greeting. "You were taking too long. We had to entertain ourselves somehow."

Kellen pursed his lips and stepped into the room, stopping to give Audrey a kiss before making his way to me. He gathered me in his arms when I was within his reach, pressing his lips to my forehead. "Happy Birthday, Jamie," he said against my skin. "You don't look a day over twelve."

I shoved him away with a laugh, briefly considering introducing my knuckles to his kidneys, but let it go when I saw Warren leaning against the doorframe. He was dressed for a night out and looked drop dead gorgeous in jeans, a white v-neck shirt and dark blazer. He noticed my appreciative stare and smirked. He knew how good he looked and wasn't afraid to flaunt it.

Kellen, on the other hand, always looked good – not that Warren didn't, but Kellen actually made the effort. He wore a blazer over some kind of graphic tee that I could make zero sense of and a pair of dark pants; complete with fancy shoes.

"You guys look really good," I said, tugging on the sleeve of Kellen's blazer. "Seriously, we might have to fight off a few women while we're out."

Kellen snorted. "Off me, maybe. Everyone knows Warren only has eyes for you. Isn't that right, Hothead?"

Warren shrugged and pushed off the doorframe, walking over to me with that slow, relaxed gait of his. I met him halfway, ignoring our friends as he encased me in his arms. "I will never want anyone but you," he murmured against my hair and my skin erupted with goose bumps. God, he was so smooth. "Happy Birthday, baby," he continued, hooking a finger under my chin to tilt my face up. He smiled at me when my eyes met his before leaning down to kiss me. I sighed against his lips and slid my hands into his hair, fisting the short locks between my fingers. I felt him smile and couldn't help but giggle into the kiss, effectively breaking it. He shook his head, eyes shining affectionately. "You look…" he trailed off, eyes wandering up and down my body. The gesture was so intimate that it felt like it was his hands, not his eyes, drifting over my skin. "God, you look beautiful."

My stomach clenched at the passion that thrived in his voice. It had been a while since I'd dressed up for anything and I could tell the change affected him, just as he always affected me. It was nice having such power over him. "Thanks," I whispered, trapped within the warmth of his eyes.

"_Ahem." _Kellen cleared his throat like the cheeky little brat he was, effectively shattering the bubble we'd huddled into. We did this a lot, surprisingly enough, especially when we hadn't seen each other for a while. I couldn't be blamed for finding my boyfriend distracting. I could just as easily tease Kellen and Audrey about their frequent PDAs, but then I'd probably receive some cruel and unusual punishment from my favourite – albeit annoying – Brit. Said Brit was currently grinning like a fool as I whipped my head around to glare at him. "Sorry to spoil the fun, kiddies, but if you're done there, we have a dinner reservation to get to." He raised his eyebrows and offered his arm to Audrey. "Shall we?"

"Oh no," I said, striding purposefully to Audrey's side and grabbing her arm somewhat possessively. "She's mine tonight."

Kellen's eyes challenged me. "Oh, really? And when was this decided?"

"Before you got here," I shot back. "I'm going to hang off her arm tonight, not you."

Audrey laughed. "Good luck talking her out of it, Kel. She's pretty determined."

Kellen shook his head. "Why would I talk her out of it when she can just share? Or better yet…" He grabbed my other arm and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. "Why don't we just share _you_, Jamie, dear?"

"Not happening," Warren growled playfully, grabbing my hips and pulling me free of the couple I stood between. I crashed against his chest and smiled into his shirt as his arms encircled me. "She's all mine."

Kellen had the audacity to pout. "Oh, Warren," he teased. "You're no fun."

Warren simply flipped him the bird and kissed my hair. We were well used to Kellen's attitude and behavior, having been friends since high school. He had always been like this, but some of the things he said still took you by surprise. Honestly, sometimes he and Audrey were as bad as each other.

Since the restaurant we were going to wasn't far from campus, we decided to walk there instead of getting a taxi and using up our money. It was a clear evening with warm air and a cool breeze to balance it out. We walked down the path amid conversation and laughter, Kellen informing me that he was paying for my meal and any other thing I may need during the night. Apparently he hadn't had much luck finding a gift for me and had made Audrey let him help pay for my dress and shoes. I argued the point but he vetoed me on it, insisting that the birthday girl was going to be pampered.

Well, if you really want to…

"So, Warren," Maya spoke up as we neared the restaurant. I could see the fancy sign up ahead. "What did you get her?"

Warren smiled and tightened his fingers around mine. "A few things, but she has to wait for them," he replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Big shocker," I said. Maya raised her eyebrows and I elaborated. "He does this all the time. I think he gets off on surprises. I'm not even kidding, he's done some crazy stuff over the years. He took me to a Paramore concert and even hired a car to drive us there, he organized a picnic on the beach and in our senior year he took me to his family's summer house for a week."

Maya let out a low whistle. "You certainly know how to treat a girl, Mr. Peace, I'll give you that."

Warren chuckled. "I was more than happy to do those things for her. Besides, I had to get a little creative, it's damn near impossible to buy her gifts."

"Tell me about it!" Audrey laughed. "Last year I had so much trouble trying to pick something out for her that I just gave up and took her to the movies."

I grinned. "Hey, come on, I had fun," I argued. "You even bought me popcorn! It was very special."

"Let me guess," Kellen interjected. "She ate most of it, right?"

"Yeah, she did."

Astrid giggled quietly. "I suppose Warren and I have the upper hand, seeing as we went to school with her. She's always been a pain in the ass to buy for, but we – for some reason – love that about her."

"I make you think," I said. "It's better than walking into the store, seeing something and being like, 'Oh, I'll get that for them.' I make you put some effort into it."

"And as such have caused me many a headache over the years," Warren teased, pinching my side and laughing when I squealed. "Speaking of tricky presents, your first one is right up ahead."

I looked at him with confused eyes, unsure of what he meant. He noticed this and cocked his head to one side, indicating that I look in that direction. I heard Astrid gasp and whipped my head forward to investigate the cause, and was in no way prepared for what I saw.

Standing just outside the restaurant, and dressed for the occasion in jeans and a grey shirt, was Will. He was smiling so hard I worried he'd split his cheeks, but I could hardly blame him for I'm sure my smile was an exact match. Warren put his hands on my shoulders and only then did I realize I was shaking, my eyes swimming with overjoyed tears. "Go on," he encouraged. "It's really him."

Needing no further instruction I broke free of Warren's gentle grasp and sprinted the rest of the way down the path, crashing into my brother's arms with a cry of disbelief and pure happiness. "Oh my God," I gasped into his neck, clutching him to me with every ounce of strength I possessed. "I can't believe you're here."

"Of course I'm here," he laughed breathlessly, his arms squeezing me like vices, but I didn't care. The sound of his voice was so warm and familiar that I started sobbing. "Did you honestly think I'd miss spending my twenty first with my sister? Honestly, Jamie, your lack of faith is a little disturbing."

I laughed through my tears and leaned back to look at him, yet remained close enough that he wouldn't have to let go of me. It had been so long since I'd seen him and I wasn't quite ready to be separated from him again. "Look at you," I blubbered. "You're so grown up now."

He grinned, his eyes crinkling a little at the corners. He was no longer the awkward gangly boy from his teenage years; he was a man. I knew he'd gotten into fitness and all that jazz recently, but I in no way expected him to have changed so much, physically, because of it. He was all muscle, with strong arms and a firm stomach. His face was mature and handsome, with a sharp jaw, sunkissed brown hair and welcoming blue eyes; and was that stubble I saw? I'm sure he was over the moon knowing he could now produce facial hair. He'd had such a hard time of it in high school.

"Are you kidding?" he replied, looking me over like Warren had earlier, but without the sexual attraction. "You're an absolute knockout, Jamie."

I smiled at him and he pulled me back into his arms, soothing me as I tried to settle the flood of tears. Thank God I'd used the waterproof makeup. I had been expecting to cry, and so far I hadn't disappointed. "I don't mean to be such a crybaby," I sniffled into his shirt. "I'm just so happy to see you."

He pressed his lips to my hair and rocked me gently from side to side. "It's okay. I'm happy to see you, too."

I let him hold me for a while longer, both of us noticing that our friends were giving us a few minutes alone, before leaning back to look at him again. In all my hysteria I had completely forgotten the point of why he was here. "Happy Birthday," I said, my voice shaking just a little bit. I fisted his shirt in my hands, trying to settle my racing heart and get a hold on my flailing batch of emotions.

He chuckled, the low sound vibrating up my arms. "Happy Birthday," he echoed before glancing over my shoulder at our audience. "I think it's about time I said hello to everyone else, huh?"

I laughed and stepped to the side, watching as Will and Warren shook hands before doing one of those weird man-hug things where they sort of hug but it's more just them slapping each other on the back and talking in gruff voices. Kellen, meanwhile, caught my brother in a headlock and rubbed his hair into an untamable mess. Audrey scolded him for his behavior amid giggles and much eye rolling; it was easy to tell that she wasn't really mad.

"So, how's New York treating you, dude?" Will asked Warren as we gathered ourselves and walked inside the restaurant. It was beautiful inside, an elaborate mix of modern and vintage with soft lighting and a very intimate feel. Music played from the speakers set up in the corners of the room and a wall of windows gave us a beautiful view of the orange and violet evening sky. I had no idea who chose this place, but they needed serious thanking. I absolutely loved it.

'**Let's hope the food is good.'**

I smiled, turning my face into Warren's shoulder as Kellen told the hostess about our reservation. _There you are. I thought you two had dropped off the face of the earth, _I joked.

'_No,' _L replied soothingly. _'We just wanted to give you and your brother some privacy.'_

_Well, thank you. I can't say I was expecting to see him._

'**But you're happy?'**

_Of course I'm happy! The night has barely begun and I already feel spoiled._

The girls laughed and encouraged me to enjoy the evening, promising that they'd pop in whenever I felt like chatting to them. In the meantime, they left me to my own devices, giving me the time I desired to catch up with my brother and friends. I refocused as we were led to our table, a long one off to the side, allowing us to completely immerse ourselves in conversation instead of trying not to talk over other people and the like.

"So, how long are you here for?" I asked Will as we sat down at the table, Warren to my left, Astrid to my right and Will across from me so that we didn't strain our necks from constantly looking at each other when we spoke.

Will smiled and plucked a menu from the stack in the middle of the table. "Just the weekend. I have work Monday morning."

I nodded. Will had been working at one of the high end gyms in Maxville and from what I had been told he absolutely loved it. Apparently he was considering a career as a personal trainer, and with the way he was looking now I didn't doubt that he'd absolutely kick ass at it. "I can't thank you enough for coming here," I said, reaching across the table to take his hand. "It means a lot to me."

His eyes softened. "I couldn't let you party alone, now, could I?" He laughed and shook his head. "I'm just kidding. I always intended to come here for this; it's the first major birthday we've had since you moved and I didn't want to spend it without you."

My eyes began to sting and Audrey quickly interjected, reaching over from where she sat beside Kellen and smacking Will hard across the back of the head. He flinched and whipped around to look at her; they'd met a few times over the years, so I was hardly surprised that Audrey felt it perfectly okay to beat the crap out of him. "Don't make her cry again!" she hissed. "Waterproof makeup will only work for so long, and this girl is acting like goddamn Niagara Falls. I don't want to get kicked out of this place for causing a flood, so enough with the waterworks, girly." She narrowed her eyes at me, ignoring Kellen's amused chuckles.

Warren brushed a tear from my cheek before placing his hand on my thigh, effectively offering me his arm to lean my head against. "Be nice, Audrey," he said as Will and Kellen began contemplating the items on the menu. Good God, here we go. "She hasn't seen her brother in a long time; she's bound to be a little emotional."

Audrey raised her eyebrows, realizing how her statement may have been taken. "Oh, I was only kidding. You know I was only kidding, right, Jamie?" She looked at me with panicked eyes and I smiled, nodding my head in reassurance. Warren was just being his usual protective self. "Good. But seriously, no more tears. This is supposed to be a fun night out, okay?" She pointed a slim finger at me, her rosy lips pulling up into a brilliant smile.

"Okay, no more tears," I promised her, pressing my face into the sleeve of Warren's blazer. I peeked up at him, my stomach clenching as he turned his head to look down at me with soft eyes. _"I love you," _I mouthed to him and smiled when he returned the sentiment, squeezing my thigh with his long fingers.

Conversation dwindled a little as we all placed our orders. According to my brother, it was important to look at the pros and cons of each item of food before you made a decision. Kellen wholeheartedly agreed and the two spent the better half of ten minutes in heated debate over what to order. Will eventually decided on steak while Kellen got chicken parm. I took a moment to peruse the menu before settling on ravioli Milanese – all cheesy and meaty and delicious. The others placed their orders and then the waitress was gone, leaving us to talk again.

Maya spoke up after comparing her classes with Astrid's, peeking over at me from where she sat on Will's other side. "So, which of you is the older sibling?" she asked, her bright eyes flicking between Will and me.

I beamed. "I am, by two minutes."

"Aw," Audrey cooed. "So, Will, does that mean you have to do whatever your big sister tells you?"

"Fuck no," Will laughed. "She's not the boss of me."

"Yeah right," I shot back. "I own you, and you know it."

Maya snickered at the sharp retort and turned her gaze to Warren. "Have they always been like this?"

"Oh yeah," Warren replied. "You should have seen them when they were younger. One would start teasing the other and before you knew it they were wrestling in the middle of the lounge room."

Audrey grinned and went to say something, but the arrival of our food interrupted her. We managed to keep up a steady stream of chatter as we ate, reminiscing about our high school days and sharing horror stories. Warren leaned over every now and again for a kiss, some of which Astrid managed to snap pictures of. I was still very curious about these surprise presents he was holding hostage, but I wouldn't pester him about them. He'd give them to me when he was ready.

We remained at the restaurant for a while after we finished our food, too full to even think about partying just yet. Will pulled his shirt up a little, revealing his bloated stomach that he rubbed with a satisfied smile. He had absolutely demolished that steak, even wiping up the leftover sauce with a bread roll. Maya praised him on his ability to put food away like that, to which he responded with a rather loud belch.

'**He's so charming,' **D deadpanned, but was unable to hold back her laughter for very long. I smiled at the sound. It was great to know the girls were enjoying themselves; that was generally the way it went for us, though. If one was happy, so were the others. It took me by surprise sometimes just how in sync we were, how attuned to each other we were, and how harmoniously we existed together.

'_How could we not be?' _L said, listening to my drifting thoughts. _'We were made for each other.'_

'**God, shut up. You sound like one of those cheesy Hallmark cards.'**

'_Well, maybe we're a little out of balance.'_

'**Pff. Whatever. I'm what makes us so awesome.'**

_Tuning you out in three, two, one…_

I had just enough time to hear their echoing laughter before I was granted blissful silence in my head. As much as I loved talking to them, I enjoyed my privacy and solitude, which I indulged in frequently; especially when I had an exam to study for. Those two could distract you like you wouldn't believe.

It seemed as though I had come back to reality at the right time, my ears picking up on the sound of Astrid's voice as she suggested we get a move on to the club.

"Probably a good idea," Warren murmured, his dark eyes flicking to the clock on the wall. "It's almost eight, and I don't want to be out much later than 11:30."

I looked up at him curiously. "Why is that?"

He smiled down at me, pinching my chin between his thumb and forefinger. "You'll see."

x-X-x

"You're kidding, right?" I asked in disbelief, taking in the fancy nightclub with a long line of partygoers waiting to get in, held back by a tether in front of the door that was guarded by two burly, scary looking bouncers. "No way are we getting in. This is the hottest nightclub in town. You're all insane." I threw up my arms and went to walk back to the cab, but was stopped by Audrey grabbing my arm and all but dragging me to the door.

"Have a little faith, Jay," she encouraged. "We'll get in. I promise."

I was still a little skeptical, but let her lead me the rest of the way, pausing a short distance from the bouncers who watched us with hard eyes. I grabbed Warren's hand and huddled into his side. He soothed me with quiet words, squeezing my fingers comfortingly. He knew I was a little nervous, and God, who wouldn't be? These guys made Will look tiny!

The crowd of people stuck behind the tether immediately began yelling at us to get in line as they'd been here longer but Kellen, who stood at the front of the group, merely lifted his chin and stepped up to the imposing men. "Evening, gentlemen," he greeted. "Would you mind letting me and my friends inside?"

"Get lost, man," garbled a young man at the front of the line. It wasn't hard to tell he was already halfway drunk. "We've been here for hours."

"And until you sober up, that's where you're going to stay," growled one of the bouncers, a dark skinned man with a buzz cut and onyx eyes. "We don't need punk ass troublemakers like you here giving us grief." With the drunkard sufficiently silenced, the man turned back to us, an apologetic glint in his otherwise hard eyes. "Sorry, kid. You have to get in line."

Kellen frowned. "Are you sure there isn't anything you could do for us?" I wasn't surprised when his voice dropped to a lower octave, turning smooth and enchanting. Of course he'd use his powers. "You see, my friends are celebrating their twenty first birthday tonight," he paused to gesture to Will and I. "And we were really hoping to bring them here for a good time. Now, if it's okay, may we go in?"

The bouncers were completely under Kellen's control, entranced by his unique siren call. I could hear Audrey giggling at the sight. "Uh, of course," said the darker man, unclipping the tether that guarded the door while the line of waiting patrons whined and yelled their disapproval. "Go on in."

Kellen turned to wink at me before taking Audrey's hand and walking inside. "Thank you, lads," he called as he disappeared into the din.

Warren shook his head with a smile and tugged on my hand. "Come on, baby," he said, leading me past the bouncers and into the club.

"Enjoy your night, and happy birthday," said the other bouncer – a lighter skinned man with brown hair and charming green eyes – as I passed him. Will clapped him on the shoulder, Maya and Astrid tucked under each arm. Maya's eyes were wide with excitement; we'd eventually caved and told her about our powers, which she loved to see us use. She even made Kellen use his gifts on her once, which made for a very interesting afternoon.

We followed Kellen and Audrey to a table in between the bar and the dance floor, close enough that we wouldn't have to shove our way through the crowds whenever someone wanted a drink, but far enough away from the gyrating bodies and frequently spilt alcohol. I took a moment to look around the spacious building, unsure of what to focus on. Multicolored lights flickered and speared rainbows over the dancers, a light fog ghosting over their feet. The scent of food and alcohol was heavy in the air, but not so overpowering that you couldn't breathe. The music was so loud that I could feel it vibrating in my chest like a second heartbeat; the bartenders seemed to move to the rhythm of the catchy music, pouring drink after drink and smiling at the people – both drunk and sober – who called for them.

I smiled as I realized I quite liked the fun, sexy atmosphere. It was a bit difficult to see in the dark lights, but my eyesight was sharp enough to pierce it and show everything in perfect clarity. Will knew of my advantage and kicked my leg under the table.

"Am I good or am I good?" Kellen shouted over the music, rubbing his knuckles over his collarbone with a grin.

I laughed. "You cheated! It doesn't count."

He gave me a dry stare. "It always counts, baby girl. By the way," he propped his elbow on the table and pointed at me. "I'm stealing a dance."

I grabbed his finger and wiggled it a little. "Consider it stolen."

"Thank you very much." He sat back in his chair, satisfied with my answer, and pressed a kiss to Audrey's curly hair.

"So, Jamie," Astrid said, raising her voice over the thumping bass. "What are you going to have to drink?"

"Oh!" Audrey yelled. "I know the perfect thing!" She was out of her chair in a heartbeat and sashaying her way up to the bar. Girl knew how to get her drinks for free. Kellen watched her go, his eyes never straying from her ass. Pervert.

"Why do I get the feeling she won't stop until I'm drunk?" I asked.

Maya snorted. "Because she won't."

I grimaced, watching as Will rose from his chair. "I'm gonna get a beer," he announced. "Anyone else want one?"

Warren and Kellen both raised their hands, requesting their preferred type of beer before Will followed Audrey to the bar. I watched him shake one of the bartender's hands, his booming voice carrying over the noise. I smiled at the sight; despite how much he had changed, he was still my brother.

It wasn't long before Audrey returned with two drinks in hand, one I recognized as a martini, but the other I was completely lost on. And of course, that was the drink she placed in front of me. "What is this?" I asked, peering nervously at the curved glass and pink coloured liquid inside. It certainly looked innocent enough.

"Sex on the Beach," Audrey replied, taking a delicate sip of her martini.

My head shot up, wide eyes staring at her in shock as Maya and Astrid burst out laughing. Will returned amid their giggles, handing the other boys their drinks. "What did you get?" he asked, inspecting my drink. "Ah, a good old Sex On the Beach." He nodded his approval.

Warren ducked down to whisper in my ear, "That's quite an intriguing idea. We may have to try it sometime."

My cheeks flushed and I resisted the urge to swing myself onto his lap and kiss him stupid, drink be damned. He knew better than to say crap like that while we were in public; I could not be held accountable for my actions. "Quiet, you," I hissed, reaching down to squeeze his upper thigh. He jumped at the pressure and I suppressed a smirk. "Alright," I conceded, lifting my hand to grab the glass from the table. "Let's get this over with. To birthdays," I said, raising my glass.

"And to celebrating with the people you love," Will added.

"And to getting drunk and having fun!" Audrey finished and we clinked glasses, Kellen quickly rising to get something for Astrid and Maya.

I smiled and took a sip of my drink, surprised by how sweet and fruity it was. Happy with the results, I tipped it to my lips again, taking a larger swallow. Audrey watched me excitedly, eagerly awaiting my verdict. "I like it," I told her.

She squealed and clapped her hands like a child. "Fantastic! I have a whole list of things for you to try."

And she did. Over the next few hours I tried a Screwdriver, Bubbletini, Martini, Beer – Will found the face I pulled absolutely hilarious – and something called a Buttery Nipple, that I spent a good twenty minutes laughing my ass off at. Despite its strange name, it was absolutely delicious and I ended up having a few more, as well as another Sex on the Beach.

During this excessive drinking I had gone out onto the dance floor a few times. Warren preferred to watch as I danced with the girls, and even with Kellen who busted out the sprinkler dance while I loaded the trolley. Will and I ended up sharing a dance to Gangnam Style, which of course we had to do correctly, sloppily copying the moves from the music video. He was much better than me. Perhaps he'd been practicing.

It was during my second Sex on the Beach that Warren decided to intervene, gently taking the drink from my hand as I tried to angle the straw the right way, almost shoving it up my nose. "I think that's enough for one night," he said softly.

I whimpered, reaching weakly for my drink as it drifted away from me. "But I wasn't done," I complained.

Warren glanced at Audrey who was in the middle of her third Buttery Nipple – snicker – and narrowed his eyes. "This is your doing, I hope you know."

She smiled brightly. "Oh, I know," she chimed. "I want her to have fun tonight, Warren."

"I am!" I cried, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand.

She blew me a kiss. "And if that involves getting her drunk, then damn it, that's what I'll do."

"My head is spinning," I murmured, leaning heavily on Warren's arm.

He chuckled despite himself and gently eased out of his chair, making sure I didn't topple onto the floor. "I'll get you some water. You need to sober up."

I watched him go, my lower lip sticking out. Will and Kellen were out dancing with the other girls while Audrey and I hung out at the table, sipping from our yummy drinks. Well, Audrey was. Mine had been confiscated. Boo. "Do you think he's mad at me?" I asked.

Audrey shook her head. "No, honey. He's not mad. I think he's worried you'll have a monster headache in the morning, or throw up on yourself. Honestly, I think it's time you started winding down."

I nodded. I did feel incredibly tipsy, and even a little giddy. The others had decided that I was a giggly, silly drunk, which I was very happy with. The last thing I wanted was to be one of those emotionally disturbed drunks who spent their night wailing into their glass and telling their life story to anyone who would listen.

'**Just when I thought your train of thought couldn't get any weirder,' **D said, speaking up for the first time in a while.

_Hey! _I thought to her, taking a moment to make sure I hadn't yelled in Audrey's face. _How are you this fine evening, pretty lady?_

She snickered. **'I'm fine. How are you feeling?'**

_I feel fiiiiiine. I think I may have had too much to drink, though. Those Sex on the Beaches are really yummy. _I frowned at the empty glasses. _Is that the plural for beach, beaches? Maybe it's beachii. Ha, that sounds funny. I don't remember anything from my classes. My English teacher would be so disappointed._

'**You're insane.'**

_Hey, wait. How come you're not drunk? _I felt like Sherlock Holmes, investigating the mystery of the drunk demon. I really needed to get one of those Sherlock hats, maybe a magnifying glass. I could always fly to London and buy one.

'**Because I'm not using your body right now,' **she explained. **'If I was using my powers, I'd be as drunk as you. In saying that, I do feel a little bit tipsy, but I've always held my liquor well. L, on the other hand…'**

_What about her? _I asked.

'_Yeah, what about me?' _L interjected. I noticed her voice was a little higher than normal, and it sounded like she was trying to hold back giggles. Obviously, she was feeling the effects of the alcohol like D. Huh, D really did hold her liquor well.

'**I was just saying that you can't hold your booze for shit.'**

'_Yes I can!' _she argued. _'I could drink you under the table any old day.'_

'**But seeing as we all share the same body, there's a good chance that if we tried that, we'd end up in hospital getting our stomach pumped.'**

'_Huh. Good point. Why are you the reasonable one today?'_

My attention shifted before I could hear D's answer, instead I focused on Warren as he returned to his seat and handed me a large glass of water. "Drink this," he said. "It'll clear you your head." I took a sip and he smiled, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "Good girl."

I smiled around the rim of the glass and took another sip, careful not to drink too much too fast and make myself sick. As I slowly drained the glass I noticed my head starting to clear and while I was nowhere near sober just yet, I did feel better. I wasn't, however, ready for my drunken night out to be over and rose to my feet once the glass was empty. Warren watched me with those alluring chocolate eyes. "Dance with me," I said, grabbing his hand and attempting to pull him up with me.

His eyebrows rose. "Pardon me?" Out of all of us, Warren had had the least to drink. He'd had a few beers, but cut himself off after that, sticking to water to dull the effects. There was a reason he was keeping a clear head, and I had a feeling it had to do with my drunken ass.

"Dance with me," I repeated. "Come on, you've barely danced all night and I really want you to." I pouted somewhat dramatically, hoping it would be enough to sway him. "And it's my birthday," I added for extra guilt. "Would you really say no to the birthday girl?"

He exhaled a laugh which morphed into a groan as he stood up with me. "Fine," he relented. "One dance."

I beamed at him, sparing Audrey a cheeky glance before I led him out onto the dance floor, passing Will and the girls on our way. I could see Kellen making his way back to the table to snatch his girlfriend up for another dance. It was easy to see that our night was coming to an end, so we were all celebrating with a little boogie. Ha, boogie.

The music changed as we weaved our way through the sweaty bodies, finding a spot near the middle of the floor. I turned around the moment we stopped, pressing my back against his chest and raising my right arm to wrap around his neck. He had taken off his blazer not long after we arrived and I relished the feel of his bare arms as they pressed against my sides, his hands cupping my swaying hips. "Relax," I whispered, tilting my head back so that I could speak into his ear. "We're here to have fun, Warren. Just let go."

He buried his face in my shoulder with a low groan and pressed his hips into my backside, his body slowly beginning to move in time with mine. I bit down on my bottom lip to hide my smile, fingers curling through the hair at the nape of his neck. It felt so good to dance with him, and thanks to the liquid courage still swirling about in my system I felt no shame when I slowly slid down the length of his body, bending my knees so that I could drop right down. I heard a few cheers and cat calls from some of the people who danced around us but paid them no mind. I was only interested in Warren and the way he shuddered as I carefully stretched back to my full height, swaying like a river current as it moved around a stone. He growled into my hair and turned me around, sliding a leg between my own and pulling me hard against his chest.

"You're too damn sexy for your own good, you know that?" he murmured, his cheek pressed firmly against mine as we swayed together, paying little attention to the music. We were engrossed in each other. I admired the way the coloured lights glinted off his skin and made his eyes glow like stars.

"Mmm," I hummed and tilted my head back. Warren's hands pressed against the small of my back, supporting me as I bent backward, the ends of my hair grazing the floor. I swept back up when the blood began to rush to my head and buried my face in his neck, letting him lead as I listened to the song reach its end. He ran his hands up my spine and into my hair, groaning a little as I rocked against his thigh. Was it overly sexual? Probably.

Did I care?

Fuck no.

I whined a little as the song finished and Warren leaned back to smirk down at me. "You got your dance," he said and I didn't miss the way his voice shook with restrained passion. It set my body on fire. "Happy now?"

The song quickly changed and I grinned as the opening chords of Kesha's _Die Young _filled the club. The other dancers began cheering and singing along with her, jumping up and down with their hands in the air. "Not quite," I replied. "This is a good song and I intend to make the most of having you out here."

He rubbed a hand over his face, but I could see him smiling through his fingers. I took his free hand and squealed when he spun me in a circle before pulling me close again.

I got at least three more dances after that.

x-X-x

We stayed for another half hour before deciding to call it a night. I had had a few more glasses of water since returning from the dance floor and safe to say I was feeling a lot surer of my ability to walk in a straight line without stumbling. Still, Warren kept an arm firmly around my waist as we left the building, the sudden change from constant sound and strobe lights to silence and soft street lights came as quite a shock. I took a moment to adjust to it before continuing on to the curb. The bouncers were still there and spared us a smile as we passed them, Kellen thanking them for their cooperation earlier in the evening.

Audrey was laughing like a mad woman while trying to hail a taxi. Astrid – who was like Warren and didn't drink a whole lot – watched on with an amused smile. She gave her friend the applause she desired when a yellow cab stopped in front of her and bowed to her small crowd. "Thank you, thank you," she sang. Her eyes were slightly glazed over; she would definitely be feeling that in the morning.

"Ready to go?" Warren asked, his thumb rubbing small circles into the back of my hand.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm all partied out," I replied tiredly, watching as Audrey pulled a wobbly Maya into the cab with her. The two girls saw us standing on the sidewalk and stuck their heads out the window, giggling like idiots. I wondered if Maya would spend the night on our couch.

"Jamie, are you coming?" Audrey called, tapping her hands against the door.

Warren answered before I could. "Actually, I'm going to steal her from you for the rest of the night, if you don't mind." I looked up at him curiously, and he winked at me.

Maya whistled. "Very well. Jay, I'm gonna steal you bed tonight, okay?" I nodded my approval and she beamed. "Thanks for such a great night out, you guys," she continued. "I had a blast."

"Thanks for coming," I replied, raising my voice as a car horn sounded from down the street. "We'll have to do it again sometime."

"Definitely!" she cried before shifting her gaze to something over my shoulder. "Kellen, hurry up!"

Kellen, who was in the middle of a conversation with Will, looked up at the sound of her voice. "I'll be there in a minute. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

"Careful," Audrey warned. "Otherwise you won't be getting anywhere near my knickers."

Kellen merely grinned before making his way over to us. "I believe that's my cue," he said and pulled me in for a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "I hope you enjoyed your night," he said, looking between Will and I.

"It was fantastic," I gushed. "Thank you."

"Yeah, dude, I had a great time," Will agreed. "I need to come party with you guys more often."

Kellen nodded before shaking Warren's hand and making his way to the taxi, Astrid following behind him after bidding us goodnight and promising to call me within the next few days. Will stayed behind a moment, Kellen making sure the taxi didn't drive off, so that he could say goodbye.

"Well, that's another birthday done and dusted," he said proudly. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, Jay."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. "I really did, even more so because you were here." I felt his hand at the back of my head and held him tighter. He gave such good hugs; I could have easily fallen asleep in his firm grip. "Where will you stay tonight?"

He motioned to the cab. "Kellen's letting me stay on his couch while I'm here, so I'll be able to come and see you again tomorrow."

"That was nice of him. I should be home sometime tomorrow, I think…" I trailed off, looking to Warren for confirmation. "Right?"

He nodded and clapped Will on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming, man," he said. "I know how much it meant to you to be here."

Will smiled and turned back to me, cupping my cheeks in his hands and kissing my forehead. "I'd better go before the cab driver gets angry. I'll see you two later."

I waved at him, the two of us watching as the door closed and the cab pulled away from the curb. The moment they were out of sight Warren hailed another one and ushered me inside, quickly sliding in after me. "So, where are we going?"

He squeezed my knee. "The James, please," he said to the driver before relaxing against the seat, draping his arm over my shoulders. "I thought it might be nice for us to spend a night away from everything."

I dropped my head onto his shoulder with a grateful sigh. "That sounds fantastic. I've missed you."

He chuckled. "I've missed you, too, baby. Besides, you've been working so hard with all your classes; you could use a night for yourself."

"I think I've well and truly had one," I laughed. "I still can't believe Will's here. Did you organize that?"

He shook his head, glancing out the window as we drove through the busy streets. It was fairly late at night so they weren't as busy as usual, but still, it was New York. "As much as I'd love to take credit for it, no, I didn't. Will had let me know he was planning to surprise you and wanted to know what we were going to do. He made me swear to keep it a secret."

"I wish I had thought to buy him a present," I grumbled.

Warren stroked my neck with his thumb. "Seeing you was more than gift enough for him, Jamie. Trust me."

It wasn't long before we pulled up in front of The James. I took a moment to admire the building as Warren paid the driver and joined me out on the path. It was a tall building, all steel and glass and modern architecture. "This place is beautiful," I whispered.

Warren smiled and led me inside, chuckling as my mouth dropped open. I gaped all the way to the front desk, hardly paying attention as Warren checked us in, thanking the receptionist as she handed him our room key and wished us a pleasant stay. I followed him into the elevator and then down the hall once we reached our floor, watching as he unlocked the door and held it open for me.

"Okay, this place is way too pretty," I said, taking in the luxurious room in its shades of dark brown and cream. There was a large bathroom separated by a glass wall that I quickly learned you could switch over to a frosted look to give you some privacy, thank God. All in all, it was gorgeous. "I'll have to call James and let him know there's a hotel named after him."

I heard Warren's low chuckle before he came up behind me and cupped my hips in his hands. "Why don't you go freshen up?" he suggested. "I still have to give you your present."

"You mean, this isn't it?" I asked, gesturing to the room we stood in.

I felt his head shake, the stubble on his chin scratching against my neck. "No, it's not. This is just a place to stay the night."

I exhaled heavily, but agreed to his suggestion. "Alright, I won't be long," I said, turning around to kiss him softly on the mouth before making my way into the bathroom, flipping the switch so that the glass frosted over. "Wait," I said as I turned on the shower spray. "I don't have a change of clothes."

"Yes you do," he called back. "I picked up some stuff for you the other day. I dropped it off here this morning so I wouldn't have to worry about carrying a big bag around all night."

"Smart," I said before stepping under the spray and washing away the smell of the club. Once I was done I blow dried my hair and brushed my teeth before reemerging into the main room, wrapped in a fluffy white towel and feeling thoroughly refreshed.

Warren was standing by the large windows that served as the far wall, gazing down at the brightly lit streets. His blazer was draped over the back of a nearby chair and his shirt was off, revealing the strong muscles in his back, covered by smooth tanned skin. I took a moment to admire him, watching the way the muscles shifted when he turned to look at me. Oh God, not the chest. My mouth went a little dry as I ogled his abs and the trail of dark hair that ran from his navel into the waistband of his jeans.

'**Forget the present,' **D growled. **'Give that gorgeous man the loving he deserves.'**

'_Sex can wait,' _L argued weakly, just as distracted as the rest of us. _'I want to know what the present is.'_

_So do I, _I agreed. _Majority rules. Sorry, D._

'**Damn it.'**

I laughed softly and waited by the bed as Warren crossed the room to stand before me. "There's my girl," he whispered, cupping my face in his hands. "As beautiful as you looked tonight, there's nothing I love more than seeing you like this."

"What, all flushed and half naked?" I teased.

He shrugged. "Well, yeah. But I meant completely free of all the makeup and pretty clothes. You don't need them. You're a natural beauty, and that's what I fell in love with."

"You mean it wasn't my stellar personality?"

He sighed. "I'm trying to give you a compliment here," he said. "You're not exactly helping me out."

I giggled. "I know." I kissed his chin, smiling apologetically. "I love you."

He closed his eyes. "I love you, too. And if you don't mind, I'd quite like to give you your present now; while it's still your birthday."

I smiled excitedly and sat down on the bed. Warren picked a bag up off the floor and retrieved a small black box from one of the pockets before making his way back to me. The moment I saw the object in his hands, my heart began to race.

He noticed my expression and smiled. "Relax. It's not what you think," he said and I exhaled, ignoring the little twinge of disappointment. He sat down beside me and looked down at the box in his hands, his eyes shining with reverence for the object that lay inside. "You know how I went home a few weeks ago to visit mum?" I nodded and he continued. "Well, while I was there she asked if I could help her clean the attic." He pulled a face and I laughed.

"How bad was it?" I asked, touching my fingertips to his cheek.

He turned his head to kiss my fingers. "It was a mess. We spent a day and a half in there, cleaning everything up. I was sneezing for days from all the dust I got up my nose." He smiled at the memory before continuing on with his story. "As you can imagine, I complained a lot. I may be an adult, but that doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy rifling through boxes of old, dusty things. I had been telling her about how I couldn't find anything to get you for your birthday." He looked at me pointedly and I blushed. "She was in the middle of suggesting I give you another one of her paintings when I came across an old steamer trunk that apparently belonged to my grandparents."

I blinked in surprise. Warren didn't know much about his grandparents, apart from their names – Elijah and Amelia-Rose – so for him to suddenly have come across one of their belongings was a big thing. "Did you open it?" I asked, completely enraptured by his story.

He nodded, stroking his fingers over the box. "It was full of their old things: my grandmother's wedding dress, wedding bands, my grandfather's naval uniform, a bunch of old vinyl records, stuff like that." He smiled a little. "They had good taste in music." I noticed a flicker of something akin to longing in his eyes. "Anyway, at the bottom of the box, underneath the dress, was this." He held up the box in his hands, drawing my attention back to it. I felt a lump forming in my throat. "Here," he whispered and placed the box in my shaking hands.

I looked at him with wide eyes. "Warren," I breathed. "I can't accept this…"

"Yes you can," he encouraged. "Open it."

I took a deep breath, glad I had sobered up since leaving the club, and lifted the lid, unable to hold back a gasp. Nestled inside the velvet layering was a round, silver locket on a thin chain. It had the markings of an old compass branded on the front. "Oh my God," I whispered, gently running my fingers over the signs for North, South, East and West. "It's beautiful."

Warren smiled. "My grandparents met in their teens and fell madly in love, but their parents refused to let them marry so young." He rolled his eyes. "Such were the times, I suppose. They were completely inseparable, and anyone who met them knew that they were soul mates." He looked up. "My mother's words, not mine." I laughed, lifting my hand from the locket to touch his jaw. "They were in their early 20s when my grandfather got called to serve in the Vietnam War; he had little money but wanted to at least be engaged to my grandmother before he left, despite the fact that he couldn't afford a ring. Instead, he went into town and traded a personal item in exchange for that." He gestured to the locket and my breath caught. "It served as the symbol of their engagement until he returned. He told her that as long as she wore it, he would always find her, no matter how far away he was, or what separated them."

By this time I had tears streaming down my cheeks, the box clasped tightly in my hands. There was no way I could accept such a gift. This was part of Warren's family history, not something that should be given as a birthday present. "Did he find her?" I asked quietly.

Warren nodded. "Yeah, he did. They got married a few weeks after he returned. Actually," he paused to take the locket from where it lay, popping the clasp and gently folding it open. On the inside of the left half of the locket was a small, faded picture of a man and woman dressed in smart clothes and smiling like fools. The man looked so much like Warren that for a moment I thought I was looking at a photo of him and Michelle, but upon closer inspection I realized it was his grandparents on their wedding day. And there, clasped around Amelia's neck, was the locket. "I asked my mother why she'd never told me that story before," he continued and I looked up from the photo, watching his face. "She said that with the way I used to be…" he trailed off for a moment, his jaw clenching. "When I acted the way I did, I may not have appreciated it in quite the same way. It was actually mum who suggested I give you this."

I blinked. "Really?"

He nodded. "She said that since it served as an engagement ring for them, I could do the same." My eyes widened and he smiled. "I'm not, just so you know. I will ask, though," he confirmed. "Just not right now. We have too much going on in our lives to worry about planning a wedding. But…" He swallowed heavily and clipped the locket closed. "I thought this could serve as a promise," he said. "Of my love for you and my intention to marry you. I _will _marry you one day, Jamie Stronghold. You can count on it. And when I do, we can put our photo in here." He tapped the back face of the locket, indicating the empty space on the inside.

I choked on a sob and blinked back the flood of tears. "And I will say yes, you can count on _that._"

His smile was pure sunshine. "Well then, may I put this on you?" he asked and held up the locket.

I nodded, lifting my hair out of the way so that he could fasten the chain at the back of my neck. The silver was cold against my skin and I grasped the rounded object in my hand, feeling the compass pressing into my palm. "Thank you, Warren," I breathed.

He leaned his forehead against mine, gazing into my eyes. "It's funny," he said after a moment of silence. "My grandfather said it would always lead him home to my grandmother, and yet instead of me finding you, it was you who found me." I bit down on my bottom lip at his words. "It's like you knew I needed you, and you didn't give up on me, no matter what. You changed my life, Jamie. And I am forever indebted to you for that."

I let out a strangled sob and wrapped my arms around him, my lips brushing his with my fevered words. "I love you," I choked out. "I love you so much."

He groaned and caught my lips in a fierce kiss. "I love you, too," he murmured against my lips, pulling the towel away from my body. "Always."

We made love time and time again that night, whispering words of love and devotion to each other amid heavy breaths and desperate moans. The final time we came together he told me of all the things he was looking forward to after we married, including having children. The thought of him holding our child in his arms was enough to send me free-falling into oblivion, his sated cry the only sound I heard before the silence set in.

And in that peaceful silence was where we now found ourselves. Warren lay beside me, his head resting over my heart, listening to the steady beats. It wouldn't shock me if he'd already fallen asleep. I smiled, running my fingers up and down the length of his spine while I held the locket up by the chain, watching as the moonlight played off the silver surface. When I eventually fell asleep it lay nestled between my breasts, a solid reminder of the love we had for each other that would always, _always _guide us home.

* * *

**God, I love these kids.**

**Believe it or not, the back story for the locket didn't come about until I'd already started writing. I had mentioned to Anna that I wanted him to give her a locket, and while we were looking for one she busted out this massive, amazing story as to how it came to be. So you have her to thank for that :) We've actually been talking about continuing on with that, and writing a story about Warren and his grandparents over on our joint account, so put us on author alert if you're interested in reading it.**

**If you'd like to see any of the outfits, or Jamie's locket, feel free to swing by the Photo Gallery. There's a link on my profile. **

**There's only one more outtake to go before I'm done with this and just so you know, it's basically one big lemon ;) I've noticed that these chapters have been a bit lacking in smut, so I'm hoping to make up for that! Once that's done, it'll be on to the futuretake fic - after I've caught up on some of my other stories - which now has a name! It'll be called _The Love That Guides Us_ and will hopefully be out very early in the new year. I promise not to keep you waiting too long. In the meantime, Anna and I will most likely post some more stuff over on our joint account :)**

**As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**See you again soon!**

**xx**


	15. Outtake: Let Me Love You

**Here we are again :) As I mentioned in my last AN, this is the final outtake I'll be posting here. I'm sure you've noticed a distinct lack of smut these last few chapters, so I thought, to make up for it, I'd give you a whole 2,500 words of pure lemony goodness. You're welcome ;)**

**This is actually a continuation of a fade to black I did in.. chapter eight, I think. It's after they return from the summer house and are trying to adjust to the fact that it's not just them anymore and they can't rip off their clothes and have each other in the middle of the lounge room ;) There's also a bit of coarse language in here; just warning you ahead of time.**

**Thanks to Anna for pre-reading, and assuring me that my smut writing skills haven't lessened due to lack of use. **

**Disclaimer: ****All canon characters are the property of Walt Disney. Jamie, and anyone else who is not familiar to the franchise, belongs to me.**

* * *

_I knew that what I was about to suggest was crazy and there was every chance we could get caught, but I didn't care anymore. I needed him. "Do you think we could…"_

_His eyes widened as he caught on. "Are you serious?" I nodded somewhat frantically and rolled him onto his back, straddling his waist and balancing myself with my hands on his chest. "We'd have to be quiet."_

_I frowned, even as my heart began to race. "I can be quiet."_

_He narrowed his eyes for a moment before he sighed and sat up to wrap his arms around me. "I hope so," he said and his lips found mine as we tumbled back onto the bed._

-x-

Warren's hands were on me the moment his back hit the mattress, sliding up my thighs to cup my hips. I smiled against his lips and rocked a little over him, delighting in his needy groan. I knew he was worried about getting caught, but there was no denying the fact that he wanted this just as much as I did.

He gazed up at me with burning eyes when the kiss broke, the two of us breathing heavily in the otherwise silent room. The only light came in the natural form of the moon hovering high above the world, casting its luminescent glow over us and painting Warren's face in pale shadows. Those eyes never strayed from mine as he slid his hands under the grey spaghetti strap shirt I wore, hooking his fingers under the hem and gently pulling it up and over my head. Only when it was half way across the room did he shift his gaze, pupils dilating at the sight of my naked chest. He exhaled heavily and sat up again, burying his face between my breasts and kissing the skin there.

"_Ah!" _I gasped as he wrapped his lips around a nipple and sucked hard, biting down on the puckered flesh. I slid my fingers into his hair and held on tight, pressing my mouth to the top of his head to stifle my heavy moan. "A-ah… Warren," I choked out, my thighs tightening on either side of his hips.

I felt his lips curve into a smile and he gently released my nipple, gazing proudly at the red, raw skin he left behind. His chocolate eyes met mine and I trembled at the desire in them. "Shh," he said before rolling us over so that I lay sprawled out beneath him. "I think," he went on in a hushed voice, "that you are wearing far too many clothes."

"Me?" I whispered, eyeing his sleep pants. "Speak for yourself."

He chuckled, the sound warming my body from the inside out and pulled my lacy boy shorts down my legs, dropping them onto the floor the moment they were free of my feet. "There," he said, satisfied. "That's much better." And without further ado he parted my thighs and buried his head between them.

"_Oh my God," _I moaned at the first touch of his tongue against my slick flesh. He pinched my inner thigh at the loud noise and I quickly threw my arm over my mouth, biting down on my own skin to silence myself. He knew I couldn't keep quiet when he did this; was he _trying _to get us in trouble? But oh God, I didn't really care right now. The feel of his tongue against my sex drove me insane and I clenched my thighs on either side of his head. He wrapped his lips around my clit and let out a rumbling moan, squeezing my thighs as I trembled beneath him, the vibrations of his voice setting my body on fire. I bit down hard on my inner arm as he flicked his tongue over the small bundle of nerves, grimacing a little as the taste of copper hit my tongue. The split skin would heal soon enough.

"Easy, baby," he soothed, lifting his face from between my legs. I peered down at him and let out a groan at the sight of his mouth glistening with my arousal. Fucking hell, why was that so hot? He noticed my expression and smiled, replacing his mouth with his fingers so that he could stretch up to kiss me. I could taste myself on his lips and while that should have thoroughly grossed me out it only served to fuel my need for him and I gasped brokenly against his lips as he slid a finger inside me. "Fuck, you're so wet." My eyelids fluttered and I wrapped my arms around his neck, digging my nails into the hard skin that covered his shoulder blades. He growled at the sharp pain and worked his finger faster inside me, quickly adding another one as his thumb rubbed over my clit.

I pulled his mouth back to mine, kissing him wildly as he drove my body toward its peak. His tongue pushed insistently against my bottom lip and I parted them instantly, eyes rolling back into my head at the hot slide of his tongue as it curled around my own. He cupped a breast in his free hand, pinching and rolling my nipple between his fingers. I couldn't handle so many different forms of pleasure all at once and it wasn't long before my thighs were trembling against his sides.

"That's it," he coaxed. "Come on, Jamie. I know you want this."

My eyebrows drew together in concentration as his fingers rubbed faster, faster, faster over my clit. I dropped my head back onto the pillows, breaths coming in rapid bursts as the coil in my stomach pulled tight. With one last circle of his fingers the coil sprang loose and I arched up off the bed, Warren covering my mouth with his to stifle my cries as I clenched around his fingers.

"There you go," he breathed when I was done, limp and gasping beneath him as my body continued to shudder. "Feel better?"

"You are all kinds of evil," I said weakly, stomach fluttering as he gently removed his fingers.

He chuckled quietly and lowered his face to my neck, his kisses branding into my skin. I sighed, relaxing my hands and sliding them down his back, taking a moment to just enjoy being close to him. I had missed this. "Let me make love to you," Warren whispered into my ear, biting down gently on my earlobe.

My hands stilled on his back and I inhaled sharply through my nose. "You never have to ask," I replied.

Warren raised his head, his jaw tight with restrained passion and leaned in to kiss me. His lips were urgent as I used my feet to push his sleep pants down his legs. He kicked them off when they rested around his ankles, pulling away slightly to remove his underwear before settling over me again. "Remember, we need to be quiet."

I frowned. I really wish I hadn't agreed to that. "Then we're going to have to work something out, because I won't be able to control myself once you're inside me."

He blinked at my words, his body shuddering. I felt brave here, in this quiet, dimly lit room; like nothing could touch me… except Warren. "In that case," he murmured, and I noticed the way his voice shook. My outburst must have startled him a little. "Roll over," he said, using his hands to gently coax me onto my stomach.

I did as he asked, flipping my body over and resting my cheek on one of the pillows. Warren hummed in approval, gliding his hands down my back, his thumbs pressing into the dip at the bottom of my spine. "Hmm," I sighed. "That feels nice."

He didn't say anything for a while, but I knew he was smiling. "Use the pillow if you think you're going to yell," he instructed and I felt his body bend forward, his lips pressing against the middle of my back. He rose up again a moment later, gripping my hip in one hand and laying the other flat beside my head. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist, turning my head to the side so that I could kiss his skin. His fingers clenched around my hip and a moment later I felt him sliding, thick and hard, against the wetness between my legs, the tip of his arousal pressing inside me with each pass. I bit down on my bottom lip to stifle myself, trying to ignore the way my body tingled in anticipation.

He kept up the relentless teasing until my chest was heaving with heavy breaths, my head spinning and stomach clenching with need. "I can't," I gasped, tightening my grip on his wrist and pressing my lips together. "I can't take anymore…"

Warren hummed low in his throat, his fingers gripping my hip with more force. I lifted my head, ready to look back at him and all but beg him to take me, but before I could utter a single word he pushed forward and slid inside me with a long, grateful sigh.

My jaw dropped and I had just enough sense to push my face into the pillow to quiet my loud cry. His arm trembled next to my head and I clenched the blanket in my hands, relishing in the way my body stretched to accommodate him, the hot rush that swept over me the deeper he pushed. He groaned above me, rocking forward until his hips were pressed flush against my rear before he stilled. "God," he panted. "I'd forgotten how good you feel."

I whimpered in response, the pillow growing warm beneath my face as I gasped into it. I closed my eyes, my nails digging into his wrist in a silent plea for him to hold still. I loved that moment when he first entered me, the sense of fullness and completion, the mixture of hot and cold as his warm body became encased by my cold one. I shuddered beneath him, desperate for friction but not wanting him to move away from me. "Warren…" I breathed, swiveling my hips a little as my body won out, craving movement, craving _him. _

His breath hitched as I pushed back into him, urging him just that little bit deeper inside me. "You okay?" he asked, his voice rough with the strain of holding back. I nodded and he began to move, pulling his hips back and leaving my body empty before he slid back in. "Fuck," he gasped, tilting my hips up and pushing in hard.

"_A-ah!" _I buried my face in the pillow again, biting down hard as he quickened his pace, careful not to bang the headboard against the wall. "God, Warren, you can't stop." It was so intense this way that I saw little pin pricks of light behind my closed lids. The way my hips were angled allowed him to caress me in ways that should be illegal, let him push deeper, bring me more pleasure than my body was fit to handle.

He released my hip and slid his hand beneath my stomach, fingers caressing the skin there as he trailed his hand downwards. I opened my mouth against the pillow, about to beg him not to, but it was too late. His fingers reached where we were joined and pressed against my clit, the shock of pleasure sending my body into convulsions. Warren dropped forward so that his chest was pressed against my back, his hips rocking into mine with brutal force. He pressed his lips to my shoulder, gasping against my overheated flesh as he filled my body again and again. "I want you," he groaned, his teeth pressing into my skin. I felt his stomach muscles tighten against my back and cried softly into the pillow. "I can feel how close you are," he encouraged. "Don't hold back, baby. Let it go."

I squeezed my fingers around his wrist and pushed back into him, biting down so hard on my lip that I tasted blood. Warren's thrusts grew in strength, his hips all but slamming into mine as he drove us towards our release. I turned my head, heavy lids lifting just enough for me to see the way the muscles in his arms clenched with each forward surge. Our bodies, now coated in a thin sheen of sweat, slid together in a way that made my toes curl. "Deeper," I pleaded. "_Please, please…" _

He moaned into my shoulder, the vibrations like a mini earthquake rocking my body where I lay as his fingers rubbed over my clit in fast, desperate circles. My legs shook and I tilted my hips up further, just enough for him to reach that spot inside me that brought me skyrocketing toward my orgasm. Warren cursed in a whisper, biting down on my shoulder and swiveling his hips, driving me crazy with need. "Come on," he urged. He knew when I was close, he always did. "I love you, baby. I love you so fucking much. Come on, _come on._"

His fevered words, along with the feel of him inside me and the delicious pressure against my clit was the perfect combination and I buried my face in the pillow, fingers gripping the blankets beneath me so hard I worried they'd rip. My body curled, pressing my back firmly against Warren's chest and stomach as I toppled into a mind blowing orgasm. I trembled and writhed beneath him, muscles clenching hard around him and I delighted in the sound of his overwhelmed groan as he found his own release, his cock swelling inside me before I felt the familiar warmth of his orgasm rush between my legs. My eyes fluttered closed and let out a heavy breath at the feel of him moving back and forth inside me, the warm spurts lessening in strength as he rode out his pleasure.

"Mmm," I sighed happily when we eventually settled, Warren breathing heavily against my sweaty skin. "God, you're amazing."

He chuckled breathlessly. "You are," he argued weakly. I whimpered dejectedly as he gently eased out of my body. The sense of loss and emptiness was immediate and I curled into him the moment he rolled over onto his back, hooking my leg over his and resting my head on his chest. He smiled down at me, tilting my head up so that he could kiss me. His lips were soft and relaxed as they slid over mine, his tongue gently teasing until I began to moan into his mouth. "I have to hand it to you," he said when we parted. "You were very quiet."

I smiled proudly. "Hold your applause," I teased.

He exhaled drowsily, resting his head on a pillow. "Don't look so smug," he said quietly, trailing his fingers down my spine. "I fully intend to test your limits again."

I giggled and nuzzled my face into his chest. "I look forward to it."

* * *

***clears throat* So, um... Yeah.**

**Seeing as this is literally all smut, I'm not sure what I can say about it. It was fun to write, of course ;) But... yep. That's about it. Le awkward.**

**Now that all the outtakes are done, I'm going to take a break for a little while before getting back to my other stuff. I won't be gone long, but there's a chance I won't post anything new until after Christmas - December is always a busy month for me - but I'll be thinking of these kids the whole time. I can't go a day without thinking about my characters. Stupid people, making me love them so much.**

**I want to thank you guys again for being so wonderful and supportive over the years. You made this series what it is, and I wouldn't be the writer I am today without you. Jamie loves you just as much as I do, and we look forward to being able to entertain you again in the new year. I have a lot of new stuff planned for these kids - seriously, I've got like, four or five new stories outlined. My brain doesn't know how to shut up.**

**As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts :) **

**Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. See you in 2013!**

**Until next time,**

**xx**


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